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THE 



TWIN PARABLES 



THE 

TWIN PARABLES, 



OE 



THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD: 

A SERIES OF EXPOSITORY SERMONS 

ON 

SOME OF THE LEADING PARABLES OF OUR LORD ; 

TO "WHICH IS APPENDED, 

A Classification of these and other Developed and 
Undeveloped Parables of our Saviour. 



/ 



By Rev. R. W. MECKLIN, 

Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, West, Mississippi. 






( WAR ) 



Whittet & Shepperson, 1001 Main Street. 
1892 









K. W. Mecklin, 






Printed by 

"Whittet & Shepperson, 

Richmond, Va. 



Befttcafi an* 

To ALL WHOM I HAVE SEBVED AS PaSTOK, STETVING TO INSTBUCT, 

COMFORT, AND STEENGTHEN, AS A FEEBLE TOKEN OF THE 

TENDEE AFFECTION I HAVE FOE THEM, AND THE VITAL 

INTEREST I TAKE IN THEIR WELFARE, IS THIS 

VOLUME RESPECTFULLY. DEDICATED 

BY THE AOTHOB. 



PREFACE. 



1. \X/"E give this work to the public, believing that it 
' ' opens up to the mind a method of studying 
the parables of Jesus not hitherto presented. 

There have been many commentaries and exposi- 
tions of the Parables, and many sermons and lectures 
upon them in all ages of the church's history, but we 
do not remember to have ever seen the subject handled 
as we have done in these pages. 

2. This work has an interesting history. It was not 
devised with a view to publication ; nor had we any 
other idea in treating these parables than to get at 
their correct meaning, and give our congregations the 
benefit of our studies. "We imagined it to be an orig- 
inal line of thought, but this was only the result of an 
honest effort to bring forth from the treasury of truth 
"things new" as well as "old." Its history has no 
connection whatever with the spirit of sensationalism 
so prevalent in the pulpits of our day. 

After having delivered several of these lectures at 
the regular Wednesday night prayer-meetings in Lex- 
ington, Mississippi, the author thought of having them 
printed in book-form, and given to the public. Wish- 



6 Preface. 

ing and hoping in this way to widen our sphere of 
usefulness, we have prepared and given these lectures 
to the world of Bible readers and Christians. 

3. With the prayer that the great Head of the church 
will bless these pages to the building up of his king- 
dom and the salvation of souls, we send it forth, amid 
the flood of literary productions, bespeaking for it the 
charity of critics and the prayers of all the friends of 
religious truth. 



CONTENTS. 



Pbeface, . 
Introduction, 



PART FIRST. 

Doctrines ; or, Religion in the Abstract. 

SERMON I. 

God's Interest in the Sinner; The Lost Piece of 

Silver, and The Lost Sheep, . . . . 15 

SERMON II. 
Salvation Shall not be a Failure; The Wedding 

Supper, and The Great Supper. ... 21 

SERMON III. 
Religion Will not be Hid ; The City set on a Hill, 

and The Lighted Candle 33 

SERMON IV. 

Religious Graces ; The Talents, and The Pounds, . 44 



8 Contents. 

PART SECOND. 

Experience ; or Religion in the Heart. 

SERMON V. 
Assurance of Grace ; The Tower-Builder, and The 

King Going to War, 59 

SERMON VI. 

Religious Growth; The Mustard Seed, and The 

Leaven, 68 

SERMON VII 

True and False Righteousness; The Prodigal Son, 

and The Pharisee and Publican, ... 73 

SERMON VIII. 

Religion Developed and Undeveloped; The Hid 

Treasure, and The Pearl of Great Price, . 81 



PART THIRD. 

Example ; or, Religion in the Life. 

SERMON IX. 

Getting Rid of Responsibility ; The Unjust Steward, 

and The Wicked Husbandmen, . . . 91 

SERMON X. 

Discipleshtp and Duties; The Patches, and The 

Bottles, .101 



Contents. 9 

SERMON XL 

Pkayek ; The Importunate Friend, and The Importu- 
nate Widow, '. . 109 

SERMON XII. 

Forgiveness ; The Wicked Servant, and The Two 

Debtors, 118 



PART FOURTH. 

The Church ; or, Religion in the World. 

SERMON XIII. 
The Church; The Tares, and The Net, . . . 129 



Tables. — The Parables Classified, .... 137 

Class I. — Parables in which the Twin Likeness is 

Evident, , 138 

Class II. — Parables ln which the Twin Likeness is 

not so Evident, . . . .159 



INTRODUCTION. 



THEKE is, perhaps, no portion of the Word of 
God in which there has ever been such a 
general interest, and for which all men have shown 
such deep appreciation, as the parables of our Lord. 
They are still read with the impression that " never 
man spake like this man " ; and that grace and favor 
are on his lips. 

There is no part of the Bible that attracts the atten- 
tion of children and young people like these parables. 
The youthful mind grasps with astonishing quickness 
and correctness the lessons designed to be taught in 
them. 

Missionaries declare that the heathen man's thoughts 
are first arrested by Jesus' parables. Neither is it the 
story alone that engages them. For they will listen 
unmoved to an uninspired narrative, or a profane 
fable. They comprehend in a wonderful manner the 
divine purport of these heavenly figures of speech. 
The parables are to them like pictures. They find 
therein food for thought, and forcible illustrations of 
principles, that waken into life "the law of God written 
in their hearts." The darkened African, groping after 
God, never fails to see in the Parable of the Prodigal 
Son a representation of himself. 



10 Introduction. 

A brother minister once asked me how my prayer- 
meetings were attended. I told him that they could 
scarcely be kept up at all. No interest was taken in 
them. 

"Why," said he, "I never have any trouble in that 
direction. For I lecture on the parables, and this 
keeps the interest alive." 

"But," I replied, "the parables are limited in num- 
ber, and you would soon find your subjects exhausted." 

"No," he answered, "the parables of our Lord admit 
of so many various interpretations that we can go over 
them again and again with decided benefit. Besides, 
there are so many undeveloped parables. Then the 
Bible is full of figures of speech, which may serve as 
the skeleton of almost numberless parables." 

All this goes to show that the study of the parables 
is the way to study the gospel of Jesus with most 
profit. Hence there have been so many to write on 
these parables. Hence the subject seems never to 
have become threadbare. 

2. It will not appear strange, therefore, that we 
have presumed to issue another treatise on this fruitful 
theme. It was in the following way that our minds 
were lead to look at the parables in couplets. In lec- 
turing on them at prayer-meeting, we frequently found 
it necessary to compare two parables, to show that 
they were not the same; and we were gradually 
brought to the idea that some, if not all of them, were 
intended to be taken in pairs. And having looked 
into the matter, we were encouraged to pursue it fur- 
ther, until we reached the conclusion that we had the 
mind of the Spirit. 



Introduction. 11 

3. It is evident to any prayerful and thoughtful 
reader of the New Testament, that there is abundant 
ground for this conclusion. 

(1.) The root of the word parable implies a duality. 
The duality has generally been thought to consist in 
the figure and the thing figured forth by it. But it 
may have another meaning, viz., The putting of two 
things together to make a third. 

(2.) The frequency with which some of the parables 
have been confounded, shows that there is a great 
similarity between them. 

(3.) The natural senses are mostly set in pairs, as 
means by which to gain a knowledge of external things. 
And reasoning from analogy, we infer that the para- 
bles, by which spiritual things are set forth, were 
designed to be put and considered in pairs. 

(4.) Let us look at ah instance of the twin char- 
acter of the parables. The Parable of the Marriage 
of the King's Son, and that of the Great Supper, are 
so much alike that they naturally pair off themselves. 
Then there are the Parable of the Talents and the 
Pounds, which we can scarcely avoid coupling together. 
With others it is equally true, though the similarity is 
not always so evident. 

4. This method of studying the parables has many 
advantages over any other that has ever been sug- 
gested. 

(1.) It enables us the more satisfactorily to arrive 
at the leading idea. Like two eyes, they form a 
focus — a focus of thought. 

(2.) The two parables being complemental to each 
other, we gather different views of the same truth. It 



12 Introduction. 

is like drawing a picture of the same scene from two 
standpoints. We have before us the one general land- 
scape of objects; but from a certain position, a given 
group of objects is emphasized, while from another 
position, a different group is prominent. 

5. Feeling, therefore, justified in taking this view of 
the parables of our Lord, we present, in the following 
pages, our plan of coupling them. In the main, we 
conceive, there cannot be a different arrangement, 
because the twin-likeness is self-evident. But in some 
cases, another pairing may be made. This we leave 
for the hands of the Spirit, under the prayerful study 
of the true disciple of Christ. 

6. While these lectures have been presented in the 
form of expositor}^ sermons, it is not intended that 
they should be exhaustive, but rather suggestive. 

They are so arranged as to lead the mind on from 
the study of one point to another of religion, thus ren- 
dering the whole both practical and entertaining. 

We first consider religion in the abstract ; then reli- 
gion in the heart ; then religion in the life ; and lastly, 
religion in the world. 



PARTFIKST. 



RELIGION IN THE ABSTEACT. 

DOCTEINE. 



SERMON I. 

God's Intebest in Slnnees: "The Lost Piece op Silveb," 

and ;c The Lost Sheep." 

SERMON II. 

Salvation not to be a Failtjee: "The Wedding," and "The 
Gbeat Suppee." 

SERMON III. 

Religion cannot be Hidden: "The Lighted Candle," and 
" The City on a Hill." 

SERMON IV. 

Religious Geaoes : " The Pounds," and " The Talents." 



SERMON I. 
GOB'S INTEREST IN THE SINNER. 

"The Lost Piece of Silvee." (Luke xv. 8-10.) 

" The Lost Sheep. " (Luke xv. 4-7; Matt, xviii. 12-14.) 

1. rTlHESE parables were spoken for the purpose 
JL of replying to the cavil of the Jews, because 
Jesus sat down and ate with publicans and sinners. 
They were designed to teach that it is nothing but 
reasonable that God and all holy beings, and good 
people, should be interested in the salvation of man. 

2. In the first parable given above, the lost object 
is sought for its value. In the second, the lost sheep 
is sought, because the shepherd is sorry for it. In the 
first, there are ten objects of value, and one-tenth is 
lost. But in the other, there are one hundred objects 
of care, and one one-hundredth part is lost. In the 
one case, there is diligent and laborious search; and 
in the other, it is diligent, laborious, and dangerous. 
In the one instance, the objects not lost are taken 
along in the search ; while in the other, they are left 
behind ; but in both alike, the mind is on the lost. 

3. Now the woman and the shepherd represent 
God; the money and the sheep lost represent the 
sinner; the search represents God's interest in the 
salvation of the soul; the finding, the penitence of 
man; and the rejoicing, the joy in heaven over a sin- 
ner returning to God. 



16 The Twin Pabables. 

4. From all of which, we deduce this subject: God 

TAKES A DEEP INTEEEST IN THE SALVATION OF SINNEBS. 

I. Why is God interested in this matter ? 

II. How does he show his interest? 

I. Why is God interested in man's salvation ? Be- 
cause man is valuable, and because God sympathizes 
with him in his ruined estate. 

1. The sinner's value induces God to desire his sal- 
vation. The woman sought the piece of silver, and 
the man the sheep, because they were valuable. 

(1.) Man has an inherent value, — a value in and of 
himself. The body is valuable. It is not like the body 
of beasts, destined to be destroyed, or lose its identity. 
But it will be resurrected, and live forever. In a state 
of sin, it would be ever dying. But God would estab- 
lish it in a state of progressive and continuous life. 

The soul is valuable, made as it is, after God's 
image in knowledge and holiness, and capable of 
boundless development in joy or woe. The state of 
sin leads it into the latter experience, and God would 
deliver it. 

(2.) Man is of value to God. He can praise and 
love his creator ; and God longs for this service. All 
his intelligent creatures shall glorify him. But in sin, 
it is by constraint. God would get this glory as 
praise, — a free-will offering. All his creatures shall 
submit to him. In sin, it is a servile submission. 
God would have it as love, — the untrammeled devotion 
of the heart. 

The body and soul are worth too much to be lost 
in sin and wretchedness. The homage of a loving 



God's Interest in the Sinner. 17 

spirit is too precious and excellent in God's sight for 
him to forego it without an effort. 

2. But divine sympathy for the sinner induced God 
to plan his salvation. It was sympathy that made the 
shepherd seek the lost sheep. 

(1.) And this was the leading motive with God. For 
as the woman had nine pieces left, — nine times more 
values retained than lost; and as the shepherd had 
ninety-nine times more values secure than forfeited; 
so there are inestimable values left to God, even if 
man should be lost to him for ever. Man's value is 
insignificant, compared with what is still retained by 
God. God could do without man's praise and love, 
since there are myriads of other intelligences to do 
him reverence. 

(2.) The labor to save a soul costs more than the 
man is worth. The woman's labor to recover the coin, 
and the shepherd's to find the sheep, was greater 
than the advantage realized. So the salvation of the 
sinner, secured at the price of Jesus' sufferings, and 
death and intercession, costs infinitely more than the 
souls of all men would be worth. 

It must, therefore, have been mainly sympathy that 
induced God to lay the plan of salvation. He was 
sorry for man, body and soul, — left, as he was, in 
Satan's power, a prey to hellish and damning lusts, 
and manifold grievances and ills, separated from God 
and heaven, and an heir to eternal destruction. 

(Another reason for God's interest in men, viz., be- 
cause man is his offspring, is given to us in the parable 
of the Prodigal Son.) 

II. How does God manifest his interest in man's 



18 The Twin Parables. 

salvation? By seeking to save him, and by rejoicing 
at his restoration. 

1. God seeks for the lost sinner; represented by the 
search for the coin and for the stray sheep. 

(1.) The dangers to which Jesus exposed himself, in 
his life, sufferings, and death, are sufficient proof of 
God's intense concern for men in their lost estate. 
There were dangers to Christ's human nature, but they 
were small compared with those to which he subjected 
the honor and glory of Deity. To be incarnated, and 
to take part with man in all the infirmities to which 
flesh is heir, — it was calculated to lower the majesty 
of divinity in the estimation of humanity. Hence the 
rejection by the Jews of Jesus as the Messiah. Hence 
the gross infidelity into which the Jews have fallen. 
Hence religion has ever been a stumbling stone to 
men. 

The labors of Christ upon earth, — wearied with his 
journeys, and preaching, and sin-bearing; the exer- 
tions of his apostles, and ministers, and people, to 
build up the kingdom of grace by restoring the lost 
sheep ; the persecutions which his prophets underwent 
from the resistance of Satan and the opposition of the 
world ; the battles, moral and physical, which have 
been fought for the truth ; the tears shed, the prayers 
offered, the endless hardships undergone, — all this 
shows how laborious and dangerous has been God's 
search for lost souls. O there have been frequent 
goings into the mountains, and many cuts and bruises! 
There has been much hard sweeping among the trash 
and rubbish of worldliness and vice, and sensuality. 

(2.) But how diligent has been the search ! How 



God's Intebest in the Sinneb. 19 

diligent was Jesus "going about doing good!" There 
has been parental diligence, and pastoral diligence, and 
diligence in the school-room; — diligence in keeping 
down evil, in suppressing wickedness, in planting the 
gospel, in building up the church ; to understand and 
impress divine truth, to convict and convert sinners, to 
sanctify professed Christians. So diligent is God in 
this work, that he enlists " all things," both physical 
and moral, of Providence and Redemption, to accom- 
plish the end. 

2. But God shows his interest in the salvation of 
men by rejoicing over their return to him. There was 
no greater joy among the angels when creation's work 
was completed, than when Redemption's scheme was 
aggressively begun at Jesus' advent. There is not one 
of the intelligences in glory but is made to join in this 
rejoicing. 

(1.) God himself rejoices. The Spirit that dictated 
the songs of Revelation, is the outburst of Divine joy 
at the success of Redemption's plan. The hymns and 
psalms of exultation are the echo of Deity's feelings 
through the human medium. 

(2.) The same love for holiness it is, that prompts 
the angels to sing together. As they minister to the 
wants of immortal beings on earth, they are made glad 
to find their ministrations redounding to the honor and 
glory of God, their King. 

(3.) Saints on earth and in heaven rejoice, not only 
in response to the inner movings of the Divine nature, 
but also in accord with the sympathies and affections 
of humanity. They rejoice, not only that one more 
has become a willing subject of redeeming grace, but 



20 The Twin Paeables. 

because that one is dear to their hearts, and opens the 
prospect of affections and associations to be perpetu- 
ated forever. 

Thus the spirit of Deity, residing in himself, or 
moving in the minds and souls of sanctified beings — 
that spirit is one of rejoicing at the salvation of the 
lost or erring. 

APPLICATION. 

1. If we do not take a deep interest in the salvation 
of sinners, it is because we are not partakers of the 
Divine nature. And this interest will be manifested 
by our earnest efforts to promote religion, and our un- 
feigned joy and satisfaction at its triumph. An idle 
and indifferent professor of Christ is, therefore, a hyp- 
ocrite, deceiving himself and others. 

2. As God does everything in the interests of Re- 
demption's work, so ought, and so will, we, if we be 
Christians. Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we 
do, it will all be for God's glory and honor, in the 
bringing of men from darkness to light, and from slav- 
ery to liberty. 

3. As God denied himself, and in the person of his 
Son bore his cross to carry on this work, so will we. 
There will be nothing too precious to give up for this 
cause. There will be no burden too heavy for us to 
endure, if only we can save a soul. 



SEEMON II. 
SALVATION SHALL NOT BE A FAILURE. 

"The Wedding Suppeb." (Matt. xxii. 2-14.) 
"The Geeat Suppee." (Luke xiv. 16-24.) 

1. The first of these parables is generally known by 
the title, " The Marriage of the King's Son." We have 
given it the above designation, because that seems to 
be more appropriate. 

2. Both of these feasts were great suppers ; but one 
was greater, because given by a king and on a remark- 
able occasion. 

The latter of these parables was spoken at a meal, 
while the former occurred in the temple. The latter 
took place at an earlier period in the life of Christ than 
the former. One is a wedding supper, given on the oc- 
casion of the marriage of a king's son. The other is a 
great supper given by a certain man. In one, we read 
of servants, several of them, sent out to make the in- 
vitations. In the other, there is only one servant. In 
one, persons are invited from the highways alone; in 
the other, from the highways and hedges, and the poor, 
and maimed, and halt, and blind. In one, the guests 
are not compelled, as in the other. In the one, those 
who are not worthy are punished ; in the other, they 
are simply excluded. In the one, there is a review or 
inspection of the guests ; in the other, they are left un- 
disturbed. 



22 The Twin Parables. 

3. Yet these two parables teach the same great 
truth, viz. : The peepaeations made by God foe man's 

SALVATION SHALL NOT BE A FAILUEE. 

They may be despised and rejected by some, but 
they will be offered to and received by others. The 
house will be filled, and the wedding will be furnished 
with guests, though they are from the highways and 
hedges; though they are the poor, the maimed, the 
halt, and the blind ; though they are both good and 
bad ; and though they are compelled to come in. 

Let us notice : — 

I. The efforts put forth to accomplish the end would 
lead us to expect that there should not be a failure. 

II. This plan proves successful in spite of the efforts 
made to the contrary. 

I. The efforts p>ut forth to accomplish the salvation oj 
men are such as would lead us to expect they should 
not prove a failure. 

1. Notice the henejits of religion, represented here 
by the wedding and the great supper. 

(1.) Wh} r the spirit that prompted the preparation of 
this feast would lead us to expect men to appreciate it. 
It was a noble generosity that made the king give this 
wedding supper, when his son married, for the benefit 
of the farmers and merchants and the mechanics of his 
realm. It was extraordinary goodness that induced 
this man to make a supper for the enjoyment of his 
neighbors, even though they were not his friends. It 
was for their advantage, and not his. His was all the 
expense and trouble; theirs, the pleasure and honor. 
It was kind ; it was unselfish ; it was benevolent. 

So, on a grander scale, was the spirit that prompted 



Salvation Shall not be a Failure. 23 

God to devise and prepare for men the benefits of sal- 
vation. He aimed only at our happiness. He could 
have maintained his honor, secured his throne, and 
enjoyed his glory and bliss, in himself, without our 
service, or presence, or worship. But for our sakes he 
sought it. Surely it is reasonable to expect that men 
would avail themselves of what he has so generously 
provided. 

(2). Then consider the richness of this preparation. 
It was a great supper. It was a wedding — a royal wed- 
ding supper. " The oxen and the fatlings were killed, 
and all things " that were good and palatable were at 
hand. Nothing that the veriest epicure could wish was 
left off ; and there was plenty of everything. Then the 
company of guests was to be of the goodliest kind : the 
noble, the rich, the cultured, the elite, the hon tdn — all 
were to be there ; for " he bade many." Why should 
there not be a full house ? Why should the wedding 
not be furnished with guests? Surely, in all reason, 
— surely it must be so. 

But this is only a faint representation of what God 
has done for men in redemption. The benefits of re- 
ligion are prepared for the body and the mind, for this 
world and the world to come. "No good thing will 
God withhold from them that walk uprightly." " The 
young lions do lack, and suffer hunger ; but they that 
fear the Lord shall not want any good thing." The 
guests are " the general assembly and church of the 
first-born;" cherubim and seraphim; "the glory and 
honor of the kingdoms and nations " of earth, which are 
"to be brought into it." Yea, "eye hath not seen, and 



24 The Twin Parables. 

ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the 
heart of man to conceive, the things which God hath 
prepared for them that love him." 

Why, then, should the Lord's house not be filled ? 
Why should this heavenly wedding not be furnished 
with guests ? Certainly reason would teach us that 
this would be the case. 

(3.) But look at this wedding. It seems that the 
king brought about the marriage of his son that he 
might have an excuse for giving a feast. An ordinary 
dining was not sufficient to satisfy the benevolent wish 
of the monarch. He sought an occasion which would 
allow him to furnish the very noblest entertainment, 
and justify him in lavishing upon his subjects the 
honor and felicities of his palace and household. 

But who shall say that this fairly represents what 
God has done for sinners, in sending his only Son to 
become flesh and dwell among us? Jesus' incarnation, 
" God manifest in the flesh," was the marriage of the 
Heavenly Father's Son to human nature, and furnish- 
ed the occasion for the wedding supper of redemption. 
God thus sought an opportunity, to open the treasuries 
of his grace for man's use. He thus found an expedi- 
ent that would furnish an excuse for crowning the poor 
sinner with the glory and honor of divinity and the 
heavenly world. 

Surety this was enough to lead us to expect a hearty 
acceptance of God's offer on the part of lost men. Why 
should any one refuse? Why should not the plan of 
salvation be a perfect success ? 

2. But this was not all the effort made to accomplish 



Salvation Shall not be a Failuee. 25 

our salvation. There have been urgent and frequent 
invitations and exhortations. 

On three separate occasions the servants were sent 
forth by the king to invite guests to the wedding ; and 
these servants did their work faithfully. The man who 
prepared the supper, sent out his one servant, three 
times, on a special mission of invitation and exhorta- 
tion, to gather guests ; and this servant wrought dili- 
gently. 

These efforts to furnish the supper with guests re- 
present God's efforts to render the plan of salvation 
efficient in the redemption of men. 

(1.) They represent the varied work of God's serv- 
ants in the world ; the example and precept of the pa- 
triarchs ; the administrations and the discipline of the 
kings ; the psalmody and verse of the inspired poets ; 
the teachings and warnings of the holy prophets ; the 
preaching and writing of the Twelve Apostles. They 
represent the labors of men since the apostolic age ; 
the earnest self-denial and hardships of the fathers ; 
the loving calls and clear demonstrations of truth by 
the ministry ; the dangerous adventures and apparent- 
ly fruitless toil of missionaries ; the prayerful work and 
painstaking instruction given by Sabbath-school teach- 
ers; the arduous labors and exhausting anxiety of 
evangelists ; the burning words of exhorters ; the heart 
yearnings of Christian mothers ; the tearful prayers of 
pious fathers. "And what shall I say more? for time 
would fail me to tell" of self-denials, of cross-bearings, 
of soul-longings, of midnight grievings, of heartbroken 
cries, and consecrated life and business to the cause 
of Jesus. 

2 



26 The Twin Parables. 

Surely enough has been done to lead us to expect a 
glorious success for God's scheme of redemption ; and 
again we are led to emphasize the question — " Why 
should there be any failure ? " 

(2.) But these efforts set forth in the parables be- 
fore us represent the direct and powerful work of the 
one Servant of the Master — the Holy Spirit. What 
patient pleading with self-destroying man ! what long- 
continued standing at the closed door of men's hearts! 
what persistent knocking! what affectionate wooing 
for an opening! what earnest calls for a hearing! what 
ravishing words of love ! what rich presentation of 
promises ! what glorious coloring of rewards and pun- 
ishments! what gracious offers of entrance and com- 
munion ! 

Throughout all the ages it has been thus. In the 
days of Adam ; in the times of Noah ; in the ages of 
the patriarchs; under the dispensation of the law; in 
the eventful periods of the judges ; in the turbulent 
reigns of the kings; in the declining epochs of the 
Jewish theocracy ; in the stirring years of Jesus' min- 
istry ; and all along. In every land, in every clime, in 
every nation, in every tribe, in every tongue ; at the 
foot of the throne ; within the gates of the palace ; 
behind the walls of the dungeon ; beneath the humble 
roof of the beggar ; in the gloaming of caverns ; be- 
side running rivers; over barren deserts; amid shad- 
owy forests — everywhere. The Spirit of the living 
God has carried his invitations into consecrated tem- 
ples of worship ; into quiet households ; into the secret 
chamber. He has stood beside sanctuary altars ; he 
has waited beside home hearth-stones; he has plead 
with hearts in their seclusion ; and his message has 



Salvation Shall not be a Failure. 27 

been : " Come, for all are tilings ready ! Come unto 
the marriage." 

God and Heaven only know what efforts the Holy 
Spirit hath made to convert the world and fill the man- 
sions of the New Jerusalem with saints. 

Surely it will, it must, all avail to furnish the wed- 
ding with guests. It could not be otherwise. 

II. And in spite of the efforts made to the contrary, 
God's scheme of redemption shall succeed. 

But we are ready to exclaim : " Surely there has been 
no opposition to all God's benevolent plans and earn- 
est efforts!" And it may well be asked: "Is it possi- 
ble that all this does not meet with the most cheerful 
acceptance and approval, and elicit man's sincerest 
gratitude and highest praise?" It is. 

1. But what has been the character of this opposi- 
tion ? When the king sent out servants to call in the 
guests, some "would not come," — they point-blankly 
'refused, without giving any reason; others "made light 
of it," — spoke of it, or acted with reference to it, as if 
it were folly; others "took his servants and entreated 
them spitefully, and slew them ; " and others came with- 
out making any of the required preparations, as if to in- 
sult the king. And when the man who made the great 
supper sent out his servants to call in the guests, they 
all began, with one consent, to make excuse — excuses 
of business, excuses of pleasure. It seems that there 
was a conspiracy to the intent that the supper should 
be a failure. 

So there has ever been a conspiracy among men, with 
the purpose that the religion of Jesus, with all its rich 



28 The Twin Parables. 

provisions and earnest labors, should not accomplish 
the end aimed at, viz., man's salvation and happiness. 

(1.) Notice, first, that some disregard the require- 
ments of the gospel. Outwardly, by profession, they 
come to Christ. They join the church. They wait 
upon God in all his ordinances. But they are con- 
scious that their hearts have never been changed, and 
that they do not bear God's likeness and image, and 
are having a name to live while they are dead. 

The opposition, unintentional it is true, of this 
class, is of a very hurtful and dangerous character. 
It brings the greatest shame and contempt upon the 
church. 

(2.) There is a class of persons who outwardly hold 
the plan of salvation in high regard, and treat its fol- 
lowers with the utmost respect, and receive gospel 
invitations with the politest courtesy. There is no- 
thing to give offence, in anything they say or do. 
True, they do not accept of Christ's gracious invita- 
tion. But they seem to feel that they ought to do so. 
For they are all the time, either formally or informally, 
making excuse for their conduct. They beg of the 
church not to think hard of them. They have no idea 
of forever estranging themselves from God the Father, 
and Jesus the Elder Brother. Their conduct, and 
sometimes their words, express the idea : "I pray thee, 
do please, be kind enough to 'have me excused' from 
being a Christian. I would like to be one, but I can't, 
just at present ; ' at some more convenient season,' I 
will attend to the matter. It is too important to be 
neglected, and I do not have any idea of neglecting it. 



Salvation Shall not be a Failure. 29 

But, then, I cannot see to it just now. 'Almost thou 
persuadest me to be a Christian.' " 

(3.) Some there are, who, without trying to palliate 
their conduct, and yet without any objection to reli- 
gion, say plainly: "No; I will not have this salvation. 
Others can accept it, if they please, but I will not. I 
I do not need it ; I do not appreciate it ; I do not de- 
sire it ; I ' care for none of these things.' " 

(4.) There are others, who go one step further, and 
not only reject Christ, but make light of religion, its 
author, its followers, its operation. They "sit in the 
seat of the scornful." They are atheists, and deists, 
and infidels, and skeptics. They are irreverent, and 
profane, and sacrilegious. 

(5.) But there is yet another class, that is more out- 
spoken and vicious in its opposition. They violently 
oppose religious workers. They try to kill the servants 
of the great King as such, by destroying their influence. 
They say Christians are hypocrites, and magnify their 
blunders into crimes, and their faults unto vices. 
They endeavor to slander them, or at least to circulate 
such reports as will make men lose confidence in them. 
They try to counteract the force of their teaching or 
example. Yea, there are some few persons who let 
their opposition to the truth go so far, that they destroy 
the property and even the lives, of God's earnest work- 
ing servants. 

When the world contemplates all this varied oppo- 
sition to religion, it frequently concludes: "Religion 
is a failure." Yea, many good men become so cast 
down that they despair of ever being able to build up 
the church. And it is not unfrequently the case that 



30 The Twin Parables. 

the whole church comes to this conclusion, and all re- 
ligious effort is paralyzed. 

2. But, notwithstanding this strong and multiform 
opposition to God's plan of redemption, and notwith- 
standing the despondency of God's people, and the 
apparent triumph of Satan and the world, we may rest 
assured that "God, who sitteth in the heavens, will 
have them in derision," and he it is that saith : " My 
house shall be filled." It is of his salvation it is writ- 
ten, " The wedding shall be furnished with guests." 

The king could not get for guests the more highly 
favored, those whom he honored with cards of special 
invitation. But he sent out and got those who had not 
been so highly favored — those who had been outlawed 
for crime ; those who were beggars ; those who would 
be glad to win the king's notice, and sit at his table, 
and receive the honors which he offered. 

The man who made the supper could not get for 
guests those whom he chose for the purpose — his 
favorites and neighbors. But he found plenty that he 
could, for they were poor, and would be glad to get to 
such a table ; they were maimed, and halt, and blind, 
and made a scant and precarious living, barely having 
enough to keep body and soul together ; and they were 
robbers and thieves; and, ostracized by society, they 
would be glad to get back. 

(1.) So the religion of Jesus was a failure so far as 
the highly-favored Jews were concerned. It is often a 
failure among people these days that have the great- 
est religious advantages. It is often a failure in fami- 
lies where it seems like, if anywhere, it ought to suc- 
ceed. It is often a failure with persons who have been 



Salvation Shall not be a Failure. 31 

brought up in the very lap of the church. It may be 
a failure among people who have plenty of the good 
things of this world — its honors, its profits, its enjoy- 
ments, its privileges. But still it is true — religion shall 
not he a failure. 

(2.) There will be found those who will feel the need 
of its benefits in this life and in the life to come. There 
will always be some who will hunger for its provisions 
and long for its honors. The Spirit and his earnest 
workers will ever find men whom they can persuade to 
be the followers of Christ Jesus. 

And the plan of salvation shall succeed, not only 
partially; but God will have a head for every crown 
that he has in Heaven. He will find fingers for every 
harp that is hung in the halls of the Father's house. 
He will bring an occupant into every mansion that he 
has prepared. It was Jesus who said : "All that my 
Father gave me shall come to me;" and, "Not one of 
them is lost." 

Application. 

1. In order for men to be saved, the means must be 
diligently and perseveringly used. Men must labor 
earnestly and constantly, and they must be aided by 
the Holy Spirit. We who thus labor should be en- 
couraged by the assurance, that we cannot labor in 
vain. We may not see the fruit of our efforts, but God 
will surely bless them. 

2. God will not bear always with those who oppose 
him. It angers him for men to refuse Christ ; to make 
light of religion ; to fight against good ; to make excuses 
for not becoming Christians ; to insult him by pretend- 



32 The Twin Parables. 

ing to be Christians when they are not. It, therefore, 
becomes us to be careful, and earnest, and watchful 
about this matter, lest we incur God's displeasure by 
our unbelief, or our infidelity, or our impenitency, or 
our worldly-mindedness, or our hypocrisy. "For many 
are called, but few are chosen." 



SERMON III. 
RELIGION WILL NOT BE HID. 

" The City Set on a Hill. " (Matt. v. 14. ) 

"The Lighted Candle." (Matt. v. 15; Mark iv 21; Luke viii. 16;. 
Luke xi. 33.) 

1. ~T~T will be observed that Luke records the latter 
JL parable twice, showing that the Saviour used it 
upon two separate occasions. He may have used 
some of the other parables in the same way, only di- 
versifying incidents in order to illustrate the point 
immediately before him. This gives us a clue to the 
idea of twin parables. 

2. Notice the connection. St. Matthew brings the 
parables in immediately after the beatitudes, when 
Jesus was speaking of the influence of his people in 
the world. Mark and Luke do not relate but one, — 
that of the Candle. And they bring it in just after 
the parable of the Sower. Luke records it twice : the 
first time, in the connection of which we have spoken ;. 
and the second time, just after Jesus had contrasted 
the conduct of the Jews in his day with that of Nine- 
veh in the days of Jonah. 

3. Matthew and Luke record the parable of the Can- 
dle as a positive declaration of Jesus; Mark, as an 
interrogative affirmation. Matthew speaks of hiding 
the light "under a bushel;" Mark, "under a bed;" 
while Luke omits the mention of the bushel, but 



34 The Twin Parables. 

speaks of the vessel and the bed. All refer to the 
candlestick. Mark makes no allusion to the purpose 
in lighting a candle, while Matthew says it is to give 
light unto all that are in the house; and Luke says, 
"That they which enter in may see the light." 

4. By all these comparisons we are led to see that 
the idea intended to be conveyed is this : 

Religion will not be hid, neither religion in the heart, 
nor in the world. It is "a city set on a hill," — a 
lighted candle on a candlestick. 

This subject will find its development in the con- 
sideration of the following topics : 

I. The prime nature of religion. 

II. The effects of religion. 

In the amplification of these topics, the thoughts 
suggested by the parables will serve as our guides. 

I. Notice the nature of religion. 

1. It is like a city. 

(1.) A city is builded up by degrees. It is not a 
sudden formation. The foundation is laid, or the 
main outlines designated. One addition after another 
is made, until the degree of extension is coordinate 
with the limits. Then, when one order of limits is 
reached, another is set up, so that completion is never 
attained. 

So is it with religion. It is builded up in the heart 
and in the world, step by step. 

(a.) The foundation is laid in conversion, or effect- 
ual calling. That must underlie and define everything 
else. The Spirit, in conviction of sin and misery, digs 
deep, taking out all that is unreal, and securing a rock 



Eeligion will not be Hid. 35 

bottom. He lays the corner-stone by enlightenment 
in the knowledge of Christ. He places the ground- 
sills of a renewed will and a well-defined purpose to 
serve God by faith in Christ. 

(b.) This done, the superstructure of sanctification 
is put up, piece by piece and stone by stone. We 
"add to our faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge," 
&c; until " the greatest of all these is charity." 

(c.) "But whom he foreknew, he also predestinated; 
and whom he predestinated, them he also called ; more- 
over, whom he called, he also justified; and whom he 
justified, he also glorified." And when shall we say 
that will end? For are not saints to be made perfect, 
even as God is perfect? 

(2.) But a city is builded up by groups. It is no 
constituted as a compact unit. It is not put together 
as an unbroken and unpartitioned edifice. Here a 
group of dwellings and premises ; there a block of 
buildings separated from others by streets. There is 
society, but the society is collective. All the parts are 
connected, but each is an independent and individual 
whole. 

So is it with the graces of which religion is builded. 
Each grace forms a group of its own. The process of 
sanctification is like a mathematical operation. The 
problem of holiness is stated. The clew of grace 
through faith in Christ is incorporated. The separate 
steps of regeneration, conversion, and development 
into the Divine Image, are taken; and the answer — 
Heaven — is the result. But that result is reached by 
independent operations. All the parts are connected, 
but each is a whole. 



36 The Twin Parables. 

a. There is a group of graces that relates to God — - 
such as faith, hope, love, and so on. 

1). There is another group that relates to our fellow- 
men — such as forgiveness, brotherly love, kindness, 
gentleness, charity, and so on. 

c. There is another that relates to our circumstan- 
ces — such as patience, temperance, and so on. 

Each one of these groups must form a unit. They 
are distinct from each other. But they are all insep- 
arably united in Christ Jesus ; and they all belong in 
the solution of the problem of eternal life. 

2. Religion is like a lighted candle. 

(1.) The candle is all ready for the purpose for 
which it was designed. There are the sperm, the wick, 
and the combustible chemicals, incorporated. It has 
only to be ignited — touched off, as it were. Nothing 
additional is needed. No change is made in the con- 
stitution or arrangement of the parts. 

So it is in religion. The faculties existing are only 
set afire — put to burning. In regeneration, for in- 
stance, no new faculty is imparted. The old faculties 
are only put into operation and exercise. 

The body is the outward and visible part of this 
candle — that vehicle in which is concealed the soul- 
wick; and, diffused through both, are the passions, af- 
fections, and sensibilities. Grace does not make a new 
body. It only sets it to work for God. Grace does 
not create a new soul. It only brings unto it "the 
Light of the World." Grace does not produce new 
emotions. It only arouses those already existing, so 
that they burn for Jesus. 

(2.) The power that lights the candle is external. 



Eeligion well not be Hid. 37 

There is such a thing, so said, as spontaneous combus- 
tion — a body setting itself afire. But the candle does 
not light itself. The fire comes from somewhere else. 
The match is struck ; it is applied to the wick ; there 
is a moment or two of heating ; and the candle burns. 

So religion in the soul is not the work of the soul 
itself. There is no spontaneous combustion in the re- 
ligious world. That would be " establishing our own 
righteousness." That would be works saving us. But 
religion is "not of works, lest any man should boast:" 
It is "of grace through faith; and that not of our- 
selves; it is the gift of God." 

The Holy Spirit takes the match of truth ; ignites it 
by his special operation ; by the means of grace and 
divinely instituted ordinances he applies it to the soul ; 
and, after a season, during which the spiritual man is 
warmed, heated, aroused, the soul blazes up with the 
heavenly light and heat of religion. 

Thus religion in the heart and in the world origin- 
ates with God. He is its " author." It exists and con- 
tinues through his agency alone. He is its "finisher." 
He lights the candle of truth and grace. He builds 
the city on Zion's sacred hill, "beautiful for situation; 
the joy of the whole earth ; the city of the Great King." 

II. Notice from the parables the effects of religion. 

1. The city on the hill and the lighted candle on the 
candlestick were neither of them intended to he kept 
concealed. Why build the city on the hill? That it 
might be noticed. Why set a candle on a candlestick? 
That its light should be seen. So with religion. 

(1.) God wants the world to see and know of our 



38 The Twin Parables. 

conversion to him, and of our growth in piety. Hence 
he makes a public confession a necessary part of per- 
sonal religion. " With the mouth confession is made 
unto salvation." Confessing Christ is putting our re- 
ligion into notice. God requires us to live up to our 
profession. That is putting our candle upon a candle- 
stick. God calls upon his people to renew their vows 
at the Lord's table. That is putting the candle upon 
the candlestick. We are exhorted to "adorn the doc- 
trine of God our Saviour." " He predestinated us to 
be conformed to the image of his Son." 

(2.) Neither is this purpose of God foreign to the 
will and design of the true convert himself. He is 
not onty not ashamed of Jesus, or his own alliance 
with him, but the first desire of the renewed heart 
is: "Hallowed be thy name," O God! He begins 
the life of faith, that he may glorify God. For the 
same purpose he perseveres therein. He endorses 
the proposition, that "man's chief end is to glorify 
God." It could not be otherwise, since "it is God 
that worketh in us to will and to do of his good plea- 
sure." It could but be thus, when "the seed of God 
remaineth in him." 

2. The city is not built for the use of the builder 
alone, or of the individual owners of its separate parts. 
It is designed to promote the well-being of the com- 
munity ; to develop its culture and refinement ; to shel- 
ter the wayfarer behind its walls, and under its roofs ; 
to give impetus to trade and enterprise, and so on. It 
is not built alone to accumulate property, or to serve a 
convenience, but it is built to diffuse blessings, and 
minister to the comfort of mankind. 



Eeligion will not be Hid. 39 

The candle is not lighted and put on a candlestick 
for the use simply and only of him who lights it. This 
the context declares plainly. It is for all that are in 
the house. It consumes away for the use of those 
around it. So religion. 

(1.) Its object is to better the condition of mankind. 
Not only do Christians get its benefits, but even the 
wicked, for the sake of the former. And while the 
main design of religion is to bring men to "the know- 
ledge of the truth as it is in Jesus," yet it aims at the 
amelioration of man's condition, physically, morally, 
mentally, and socially. In it, all the families and na- 
tions of the earth are to be blest. 

(2.) Moreover, it is the aim of the Founder of the 
Christian religion, that the adherents of it should live 
for the good of others. Though poor, like their Mas- 
ter, they are to make many rich. No man is to live to 
himself. Each one is exhorted to bear another's bur- 
dens. Like their Saviour, "the zeal of God's house" 
is to eat them up. " Except a corn of wheat die, it 
abideth alone." 

So it happens that religion makes itself known and 
felt. 

The city on a hill cannot be hid. If built in the 
plain, it could be partly hidden. But not so when built 
on an eminence, where its edifices, its walls, its roofs, 
its towers, are outlined against the very sky, and may 
be seen afar off. 

The lighted candle would be hidden if put under a 
bushel or a bed. But it cannot be hidden if placed 
upon a candlestick. 

Neither can religion be concealed. It cannot be 



40 The Twin Parables. 

put under any kind of covering. It, like its Founder, 
would have its "fame to come abroad." Why? 

(1.) Religion cannot be hid, because it implies a 
change of conduct. Where a very wicked man has 
been converted, this is clearly the case. The profane 
swearer ceases to swear; the drunkard becomes sober 
and temperate ; the libertine Becomes pure and chaste. 
How could religion be concealed in such a case as Saul 
of Tarsus, where, from being a persecutor, the subject 
becomes a preacher of righteousness, "not, a whit be- 
hind the very chiefest apostle?" 

(2.) But suppose the convert is one who was before 
moral and upright apparently, then could not conver- 
sion be such an unnoticeable fact that the existence of 
religion would be almost hidden from the world ? Not 
so. Before conversion, his position is noticeable from 
its negative character. He is not a thief; not a liar, 
not a murderer; not an adulterer; but when that is 
said, all is said. After conversion, however, religion 
makes his character positive. He is not only not a 
wicked man, but he is a religious man. Before, he 
was neutral; now, he is assertively on God's side. 
Before, he offered only the offering of Cain ; now, he 
presents the sacrifice of Abel. 

Thus, the effects of religion are such that it cannot 
be hid. Its votaries "come to the light, that their 
deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God." 
They become the light of the world. 

Application. 
1. The consideration of this subject teaches us the 
necessity of using the means of grace diligently. As 



Eeligion will not be Hid. 41 

the candle cannot be lighted without fire in some form, 
so religion cannot be brought into being in the soul 
without the use of the truth. As the fire will not light 
the candle unless brought into contact with the wick, 
so truth will not affect the mind and heart without 
the use of the ordinances by which it is administered 
and enforced. " How shall they hear without a preach- 
er?" If a man will not go to preaching, or if he for- 
sake the assembling of the saints, or if he search not 
the Scriptures, or if he commune not in prayer, he 
cannot expect to become converted; or, if converted, 
to be "a bright and shining light, in which others 
may rejoice for a season ; " or to adorn the doctrine of 
Christ Jesus. 

2. Let us learn also the imperative necessity for the 
agency of the Holy Spirit. As the fire, brought near 
to the candle, will not light it until the wick has been 
heated and the chemical ingredients brought into pos- 
itive action, and as the fire will not come of itself to 
the wick, so the truth preached, or read, or studied, 
will not convert the soul until the Holy Ghost " take 
of the things of Christ and show them unto us ; " until 
the Spirit bear witness to the truth, and, by its person- 
al application, warm and stir the soul, and call into 
exercise all its latent powers and faculties. " The Spirit 
of God maketh the reading, but especially the preach- 
ing, of the word an effectual means of salvation." 
"How shall they preach, except they be sent?" Then 
it is that the preaching of the gospel is "the power of 
God unto salvation to every one that believeth." " Of 
his own will begat he us by the word of truth, that we 
might be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures." Let 



42 The Twin Parables. 

us, then, pray for the Spirit to accompany and apply 
the word read and heard ; " for without him we can do 
nothing." 

3. We also learn here that religion is a growth — a 
building up by degrees. "The path of the just is as 
a shining light, that shineth more and more unto the 
perfect day." There is laid one stone to-day, and 
another to-morrow, until a grace is matured. There 
rises up one grace here and another yonder, until a 
group is finished. The group of graces that pertain 
specially to our relation with God, may grow most rap- 
idly. Or the group that is connected with man may 
go up first. But, little by little, they will all appear. 
And yet, "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, the 
things which God hath prepared for them that love 
him." "Now we see through a glass darkly, but then, 
face to face." "Now we know in part, but then shall 
we know even as we are known." Let us, then, be 
encouraged, though we may be very imperfect, if 
only we are making advances. Let us remember 
that there is "first the blade, then the ear, then the full 
corn in the ear." Let us count not ourselves "to 
have attained," but this one thing do, "forgetting 
the things that are behind" (losing sight of any ad- 
vances made or any failures experienced), " and reach- 
ing forth to that which is before, let us press forward 
toward the mark for the prize of our high calling which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

4. But let us not fail to learn, that a desire to do 
good, and thus honor and glorify God, is an insepar- 
able characteristic of true conversion. There must be 



Eeligion will not be Hid. 43 

a willingness to spend and be spent for God and for 
souls. We must not let our liglit be hidden under the 
bushel of worldliness or the bed of lust. But we must 
set it upon the candlestick of a pious walk and con- 
versation, and let it so shine that men "may see our 
good works, and be constrained to glorify our Father 
which is in heaven." 



SERMON IV. 
RELIGIOUS GRACES. 

' ' The Talents. " (Matt. xxv. 14- 30. ) 
"The Pounds." (Luke xix. 12-27.) 

1. T I MIE leading features in both these parables are 
JL the distribution of money among the servants, 
the use to which they put it, and the account required 
of them. In the one case, the master gave all his goods 
to his servants ; in the other, the master gave part of his 
money to a few chosen servants, and left them in charge 
of his business. The former teaches the doctrine of 
spiritual graces; the latter, the doctrine of official 
graces. The subject, therefore, is the doctrine of 

The Religious Graces. 

I. We cannot fail to notice from the parables that 
there are certain properties which belong in common to 
both these classes of religious graces. 

1. They both come from God, as the talents and 
the pounds were alike the bestowments of a master. 

(1.) The Scriptures teach that the spiritual graces 
are the fruit of the Spirit. All the thoughts, and feel- 
ings, and emotions that lead to conversion, as well as 
all the mental and moral developments pertaining to 
sanctification, are suggested to or wrought in the heart, 
and mind, and life by the Holy Ghost. 

(2.) Whatever capacities or qualifications a man 



Eeligious Geaces. 45 

may possess as a church officer are the gift of the same 
Spirit. The apostle Paul again and again teaches this. 
So likewise did the Saviour. 

2. These endowments, however, are not gifts abso- 
lutely. They do not belong to men as individual and 
inalienable possessions. They are merely given in 
trust, as these masters gave the money to their serv- 
ants to be used in the masters' interests. 

(1.) If God bestow upon us the grace of conviction, 
or of penitence, or of faith, or of hope, or any other, 
his object is that they may bring forth fruit to his 
honor and glory. 

(2.) If God endows a man with faculties by which 
he may become an efficient minister, or ruling elder, 
or deacon, his object is that they should be used for 
the promotion of his kingdom. 

The subject of divine grace and the office-bearer in 
the church, are alike God's servants. They are both 
workers for the Heavenly Master, putting forth the 
talents or pounds to the exchangers, and thus trading 
with the same. 

3. God expects us to give an account of these gifts 
to himself, just as, in the parables, was required of the 
servants. 

(1.) Man receives from God no gracious impulses 
or spiritual emotions to be turned to naught. This 
constitutes our responsibility. He will, at the judg- 
ment day, call on every one of us to know what we 
have gained by trading ; what we have gained for our- 
selves in the way of strength and comfort; what we 
have gained for him in the way of influence and good 
accomplished for others or for the church. 



46 The Twin Parables. 

(2.) If we are called to bear office in God's earthly 
kingdom, and providential circumstances have so fa- 
vored ns that we had opened a wide door of usefulness ; 
if we have been provided with powers of intellect that 
would make us efficient instruments in the work of 
Zion ; if we have been gifted with natural or acquired 
faculties of mind or heart by which to make our efforts 
felt among men ; if this be true, can we suppose for a 
moment, that God will not hold us accountable for the 
way in which we improve these graces ? Surely not. 
These conditions are the gifts of our Creator and King ; 
the gifts intended to be used for his kingdom ; and he 
must know what Ave have done with them. 

4. Some men use these graces well, while others use 
them badly, as some of these servants made their pound 
gain ten pounds, and others made their talents double 
themselves, while one allowed his pound to lie idle, 
and another made no use of his talent. 

(1.) So is it with the graces. One man will act so 
promptly upon the suggestions and movings of the 
Spirit that he comes at once into the possession of 
secret peace and joy, and a bright hope. From this he 
will go on to a higher and a still higher degree of com- 
fort and strength, and beauty of character, until he 
becomes an ornament to religion and a pillar in the 
church, and men rise up on every hand to call him 
blessed. 

But in the same neighborhood— yea, in the same 
church — there may be a man who, though enjoying 
equal privileges, and wrought upon by the same Holy 
Spirit, is yet slow, and dull, and lifeless. He finds not 
the joy to which believers are entitled. He develops 



Keligious Graces. 47 

not unto a sprightly precept and forcible example. He 
finds no good to himself in religion ; much less does 
he make it the agent of good to others. 

(2.) Again, one officer in the church will be like a 
vine, ever growing^; maturing more and more fruit; 
taking up more and more arduous duties ; getting daily 
more and more accustomed to the ecclesiastical har- 
ness; until he is a workman that needeth not to be 
ashamed. 

Another officer, from false modesty, or feigned timid- 
ity, or enforced diffidence, will lag back; plead inca- 
pacity ; wait for others to go forward ; shun the cross 
that lies in his path ; — and after a score of years, you 
find him just where he was at the beginning. 

4. The unfaithful try to excuse themselves, as did 
the servant with the one pound, and he with the one 
talent. 

(1.) There are men who give as a reason why they 
have not grown more in religion, that more is demand- 
ed of them than they are able to perform. God is a 
hard Master. They are required to repent; and yet, 
without God's grace, they cannot do so; to believe, 
while God only can work in them to will; and so on. 
They say they do as well as they can. 

The infidel, the impenitent, the unbelieving, the 
immoral — none of them have any conception of the 
reprehensible nature of their conduct, or the immense 
weight of their responsibility to God. "They, being 
ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to 
establish their own righteousness, have not submitted 
themselves to the righteousness of God." 

(2.) So it is with inefficient church officers. They 



48 The Twin Parables. 

excuse themselves because they do not feel their re- 
sponsibility. They do not as much as others, because, 
they say, they have not the opportunity, or have not 
the capacity, or have not the heart and courage, or are 
afraid they will fail. If they could only know that 
they are required to put even their pound to the ex- 
changers, and gain from it by trading, by active effort, 
they would never dream of trying to make excuses. 

5. Men who improve their graces will be rewarded, 
and those who do not, will be punished. 

(1.) It is a reward to the earnest child of God to re- 
ceive the welcome applaudit: "Well done, good and 
faithful servant." It is a reward to have a clear con- 
science : to know that we please God ; to find from 
communion with God sweet encouragement to perse- 
vere and hope to the end; to be made rulers over 
many things ; rulers by faith over adversity ; rulers by 
grace over ourselves ; rulers by the witness of the 
Spirit over doubts and fears; rulers by prayer over 
even providences. And when we do sometimes have 
to succumb to trial and temptation, or sorrow, it is a 
reward to have the assurance, that by and by we shall 
overcome and be rulers. 

(2.) It is a reward for a church officer to be pro- 
moted in points of honor and influence in the church ; 
to know that when he dies, though during his life no 
fruit did accrue from his labors, } r et his works will 
follow him, — his influence will be unending, telling 
upon generation after generation, through all time and 
eternity. It is a reward to know that " God is not un- 
faithful to forget our works and labors of love." But 
it will be the greatest reward to the zealous worker for 



Eeligious Gkaces. 4:9 

God, that " lie shall see of the travail of his soul, and 
be satisfied," entering thus, like Jesus, into the joy of 
his Lord; the joy of an easy conscience, because he 
has been faithful ; the joy of triumph, because he 
shall overcome ; the joy of love, because he loves and 
is loved. 

(3.) But the unfaithful man who does not improve 
his graces will be punished. It is a punishment to 
have God, through our consciences, reprove us for 
neglect and indolence ; to have God accuse us of not 
living up to our light and privilege; to have God 
deny us his favor, and say: "Ephraim is joined to his 
idols, let him alone;" to have God make us hunger- 
bitter, in longing for the mercy which can never become 
ours. It is a puishment to feel a famine of the word ; 
to know that we cumber the ground ; to be cast into 
outer darkness and despair. Our punishment may 
not, in any degree, be temporal or physical, but it will 
be all the more severe, because spiritual. Our punish- 
ment may not be for gross violation of law, but we 
become equally guilty when we bury our talent or 
hide away our pound by neglect and indifference. 

(4.) The office bearer who is unfaithful, receives his 
punishment in the loss of pleasure sustained from not 
being actively engaged to a good and great end, in the 
condemning voice of his own conscience, telling him 
he is wicked in being slothful ; telling him that he has 
suffered gracious opportunities to slip by ; telling him 
that he is not in his Master's loving favor. It is a 
puishment to see his uselessness in the church, to feel 
himself to be an officer only in name; to know that,, 
though he has not been deprived of his office posi- 



50 The Twin Parables. 

tively, yet virtually God has taken from him his bish- 
opric, and bestowed its honors and opportunities upon 
others. 

II. We will now look at some of the peculiar features 
of each class of these graces ; for though in many re- 
spects their properties are so similar, there are many 
dissimilarities. Just as these parables are so much 
alike, and yet so much unlike. 

1. Consider the author of these graces. He who 
distributed the talents was only a man, the master of 
a house. He who distributed the pounds was a no- 
bleman — a presumptive king. 

(1.) The author of spiritual graces is the man, 
Christ Jesus. He who works in us the thoughts and 
feelings of Christians, is a man possessing like passions 
with ourselves, sin excepted. Hence the Samaritan 
woman said: "Come, see a man which told me all 
things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?" Je- 
sus reveals himself to the sinner as a man — as a divine 
man, indeed, but it is the man that makes the revela- 
tion effectual to all the ends of salvation. A revela- 
tion as from God alone would overpower the senses, 
and further estrange the soul. The feelings awakened 
by religion are pre-eminently human feelings — feelings 
that take hold upon Jesus as a man, rather than as a 
God. The sinner becomes allied to Christ in a way 
similar to that by which he becomes allied to a fellow- 
man. He becomes identified with Christ just as he 
does with his fellow-man. 

(2.) But it is not so with the gifts or graces of of- 
fice. These come from God as a king. They are su- 
perior. They are royal. They are delegated. They 



Religious Graces. 51 

are not natural, but divine. They are tokens of pro- 
motion to a position of authority. "When Jesus calls 
a man to become a disciple, he simply calls to union 
and communion with himself. But when he called the 
twelve to become apostles, he called to official duties 
and trusts. 

2. Consider the recipients. In one case, it seems 
to be all the servants ; in the other, only a select few. 

(1.) All God's people are endowed with spiritual 
and saving graces ; but all are not to become officers 
and rulers in the church. Christ never intended that 
the government of his church should be absolutely 
democratic. Though all spiritual graces are offered to 
every one, official graces are bestowed upon only the few. 

(2.) As Christians, men have graces according to 
capacity; some more than others. But as officers, all 
incumbents are equal in power and authority. Jesus 
never designed that any one should lord it over God's 
heritage. He never intended that the government of 
his church should be monarchical. There were ten 
servants, and each one received a pound; to them in 
joint capacity, he said: "Occupy till I come." 

3. Notice the use made of these graces. The hold- 
ers of the talents all made one hundred per cent, profit. 
He who received five talents, made five more ; and he 
who received two, made two more. But the holders of 
the pounds made different per cents. One made one 
thousand per cent., his pound gaining ten pounds. 
Another made five hundred per cent., his pound gain- 
ing five pounds. 

(1.) All true and sincere Christians— all who heart- 
ily accept of Christ by faith, will win Heaven. Every 



52 The Twin Parables. 

such one is esteemed as righteous, and an heir to the 
kingdom of glory. One true Christian deserves no 
more than another. All any one can do as a ground 
for reward, is to trust in Jesus. All Christians make 
the same returns to God, viz., all of grace and none of 
works. One may labor eleven hours, and another only 
one, but God will give to both alike, viz., what he 
promised, eternal life and perfect happiness. What 
did Paul gain by all his labors more than the thief on 
the cross? Both gained Paradise. Paul may see 
more to admire and enjoy in that Paradise. But the 
thief admires and enjoys to the fullness of his capa- 
cit}* what he sees. 

(2.) But church officers vary in degrees of efficiency. 
One may deserve ten times more commendation from 
God than another, as an officer. One may do ten times 
more to the advancement of God's cause than another. 
One may use his authority to tenfolds more advantage 
than another, though that authority be equal in extent. 

(3.) Again it is the privilege and duty of a church 
officer to do manifold more good than a private Chris- 
tian. The latter may be the means of converting one 
soul, but the former has the means of converting a 
thousand. His authority, his superior endowments, 
his relation to God as an ambassabor — all this makes 
him more able to do God's work than if he were not 
an officer. 

(4.) The hypocrite or unbeliever tries not to see 
or know his responsibility. He tries to put it out of 
sight in the hole of pleasure, or business, or society. 
But the church officer, who fails to fill his office, lays 
up his graces in a napkin — the napkin of modesty, or 



Keligious Geaces. 53 

timidity, or cowardice, or slothfulness. He does not 
entirely give up his office in the church, but he exer- 
cises it to no advantage. 

4. Notice also the settlements made. 

(1.) Those who received the talents, and were faith- 
ful and diligent in using them, were commended, and 
made rulers over many things, and invited to enter in- 
to the joys of their Lord. Those who received the 
pounds, and were faithful, were praised, and promoted 
to be rulers over cities, but nothing is 'said about en- 
tering into, the master's joy. 

So it is, the man who tries to live a pure and useful 
Christian life will be commended, and clothed with the 
power and strength of divine grace, so that he will be- 
come conqueror, and more than conqueror, over many 
evils within and without, and over many mysteries and 
problems of revelation and godliness. He will become 
partaker with Christ in the joys of true holiness, of 
union and communion with God, of hopes and pros- 
pects for eternity, of the indwelling conciousness of 
union with God and conformity to his image, and 
finally of a glorious resurrection and a heavenly crown 
and throne. This is the way in which God will reward 
the Christian. 

But the reward given to the good and true church 
officer, while it may and does include all this, yet goes 
beyond it. God promotes such an one. He opens up 
before him wider avenues of usefulness and honor. He 
strengthens and enlarges his influence for good. He 
gives him force of character, and authority, so that he 
is looked up to as a leader and commander for the peo- 
ple. By virtue of his office, he has power with men 
and even with God. 



54 The Twin Parables. 

(2.) But the unfaithful man with the talent was de- 
prived of his talent, and turned over to the tormentor, 
while the man with the neglected pound is only de- 
prived of his pound. 

So the man who is false to the care and love of 
God in giving him means of being and doing good, 
and who desires the claims of religion, this one will 
be deprived of his spiritual opportunities, and feel- 
ings, and promptings, and be doomed to the eternal 
blackness and despair of hell. 

But a church officer may, perhaps, be unfaithful as 
such, and yet, though weak, be a true child of God, 
and so be delivered, as by fire, from hell. His pun- 
ishment will consist in being deprived of his office. 
Men may still give it to him, but God will make it 
barren. The man will have only the name, and not 
the power — the gracious power — of an officer under 
Christ Jesus. 

Application. 

How great the responsibility of all men ! 

1. For all men receive some degrees of grace. 
Hence we are told, that when we appear before God 
every mouth will be stopped. No one can say : "I 
was not moved upon by God to cease from evil and 
learn to do well." I may not receive as frequent and 
impressive calls as another, but I have received enough 
to save me, had I only heeded their voice. So that 
every man is responsible to God. If any one is lost, 
it is his own fault. 

2. How great especially is the responsibility of 
church officers ! They are to occupy in Christ's place 
until he come. All the powers of government are not 



Religious Graces. 55 

placed in their hands, any more than this lord gave all 
his money to the ten servants. But their power is very 
great. They have the keys of the kingdom ; they can 
shut and no man can open ; they can open and no man 
can shut. It is with them, whether the visible church 
be pure or impure; peaceable or in strife; united or 
divided ; prosperous or inefficient. 



PART SECOND. 



RELIGION IN THE HEART. 
EXPERIENCE. 



SERMON V. 

Assurance of Grace: "The Tower Builder," and "The King 
Going to Battle." 

SERMON VI. 

Religious Growth: " The Mustard Seed," and "The Leaven." 

SERMON VII. 

True and False Righteousness: "The Prodigal Son," and 
" The Publican." 

SERMON VIH. 

Religion Developed and Undeveloped : " The Hid Treasure," 
and " The Pearl of Great Price." 



SEEM ON V. 
ASSURANCE OF GRACE. 

" The Toweb-Buildee. " (Luke xiv. 28-30.) 
"The King Going to Wae." (Luke xiv. 31, 32.) 

1. T~TTE find in the 33rd verse what may be called 
V V an application of these two parables : " So 
likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all 
that he hath, he cannot be my disciple." At first glance 
it is difficult to tell what connection it has with the 
parables. The idea is this : The cost of serving Jesus 
is the giving-up of every worldly interest as such. But 
we will not do this until we realize the advantage of 
this step to our souls. In order, therefore, to become 
ready to follow Jesus, we must consider well the results. 

1. Both these parables evidently convey the same 
general thought, viz. : the importance of counting the 
cost of what we are about to undertake. 

2. To the man who contemplates the Christian life, 
two objects present themselves for his accomplishment, 
viz. : to build a tower for ornament and defense, and to 
wage a warfare against an enemy. Before he under- 
take these objects, he is urged to consider well whether 
he shall be able to effect the ends aimed at. When- 
ever he becomes sure that he can carry on the work, 
he should undertake it, and not before. That is, the 
Christian must have assurance of grace. 

The subject, therefore, presented by these two par- 
ables is Assurance of Grace. 



60 The Twin Paeables. 

Assurance of Grace. 
There is another kind of assurance, viz. : assurance 
of faith. By this is meant the confident feeling that 
we are Christians. But by assurance of grace is meant 
the confident feeling that, though we are not able to 
save ourselves, yet God is both able and willing to save 
us. And we are told here how we may attain this. 

I. We must REALIZE THE GREATNESS OF THE WORK TO 
BE ACCOMPLISHED. 

1. We are required to build a tower. The Christian 
is, in many places of Scripture, represented as a builder. 
For instance, in Psalms, where it is written, "Except 
the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that 
build it." Then the Saviour says : " He that heareth 
these sayings of mine and doeth them is like a man 
that built his house upon a rock." Then Paul says, 
"Let every man take heed how he buildeth." So here 
he is represented as building a tower. 

Now a tower is for two purposes, ornament and de- 
fense. Christ is called our High Tower, because he is 
the ornament of our life and character, and our defense. 

(1.) The Christian must be adorned with a character 
lor piety and godliness before both God and men. 

When God looks upon us, he must see no blemish in 
our lives. Every act, and word, and thought must be 
holy and pure. 

No man must find in our conduct any cause for re- 
proaching us as inconsistent. We must appear to men 
as zealous for religion and morality, and as exhibiting 
in our walk and conversation, fruit most worthy of the 
Christian profession which we have made. 



Assurance of Grace. 61 

(2.) We must prepare for defending ourselves against 
our enemy. We must realize that there will be many 
and severe temptations to do wrong, and give up duty; 
that there will be various discouragements and trials. 
There will be easily besetting sins to overcome. Our 
desire for ease will tempt us to neglect some work 
which the master requires. 

We will be afflicted, and bereaved, and troubled ; and 
we must realize the necessity of preparing for a de- 
fense of ourselves against these things. 

2. We are required to engage in a warfare. Many 
passages of God's word so represent Christian life. It 
is not enough for us simply to prepare for defense, we 
must make the conflict an actively aggressive one. 
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood," etc. 
Our enemies are the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

(1.) The world will oppose all our endeavors to lead 
a Christian life. We must defend ourselves, and at the 
same time strive to break down the power of the world 
over others. 

We must turn a deaf ear to the allurements of the 
world, calling to sinful pleasures and unholy aspirations, 
and unsanctified riches. We must guard others against 
these enticements, and endeavor to win them over to 
the more laudable pursuits of true godliness. 

Thus we are to fight the world, to put it down in our 
own hearts, and in society, and in the church. 

(2.) Self will resist our service for Christ ; fostering 
lusts contradictory to holiness, and that seek for growth 
and development in our bodies and in our minds. 

We are to oppose and overcome these lusts. They 
must not exist even in the imaginations and emotions ; 



62 The Twin Parables. 

much less must they be nurtured in our physical 
natures. 

We must mortify our bodies by self-denial, and rob 
self of its food, by being unselfish and charitable in 
everything. 

All this will take a battle — yea, many a battle. For 
we are not only to protect ourselves against this enemy, 
but we are to drive him out wholly. 

Our inward foes are like the Amalekites to Israel — 
they must every one be not only driven away from us, 
but they must be destroyed. 

(3.) Satan will do his utmost to keep us from pleas- 
ing God, or getting to Heaven, or helping others to get 
there. We are to fight against all his vile suggestions, 
and oppose any and every form of evil teaching or evil 
doing among men. 

To accomplish all this will require a great deal of 
knowledge respecting ourselves and human nature, and 
the spirit world and revelation. It will require much 
patience, prayer, and watching, together with the great- 
est diligence in the use of the means of grace, a world 
of perseverance and energy, and exquisite tact, and 
special talent, and mature thought. 

We are to realize that he who is not with Christ is 
against him ; that we cannot serve God and mammon ; 
that we must be wholly on the Lord's side, or wholly 
against him ; that it will be no easy matter to be a con- 
sistent Christian ; and that it will require superhuman 
strength and supernatural vigilance. 

Thus it is, we are to count the cost of building the 
spiritual tower. Thus it is, we are to take counsel with 
ourselves before going into the spiritual warfare. Thus 



Assurance of Grace. 63 

we calculate what will be the expenses of the building, 
and what is the strength of the army arrayed against 
us. 

II. We must realize what is our capacity, and what 
available means are at our disposal. This will lead us 
to carefully consider our own faculties of soul and the 
purport Of God's promises for grace. 

1. We must realize our ouln weakness. Experience 
and observation both teach it to us. 

(1.) We will recall the fact that we have of ten failed 
in such undertakings. We will think of broken resol- 
utions, of unaccomplished plans, and of falls into sins 
against which we have set ourselves. And we cannot 
but feel that the same or like results will take place 
again. 

(2.) We will recall the fact that we have seen or 
heard of others who showed their inefficiency for moral 
reformation. We will understand how strong is an in- 
herited disposition, or an old confirmed habit. 

In this way, we will find that we have not enough 
means to build the tower, and that our forces are not 
sufficiently strong or numerous to withstand the great 
power of our enemy. 

2. But are there not other resources upon which we 
can rely? Have we not learned that God's grace will 
enable us — has enabled many a man to do those things 
which are required of Christians? When our funds 
are exhausted, we can draw from the riches of God's 
grace. When our strength is small, we may obtain re- 
cruiting from the inexhaustible supplies ever with 
God. Feeling thus, that there is no deficiency of re- 



64 The Twin Parables. 

sources, we will be confident of success, and have no 
fear of failure. 

It takes all this to constitute the proper frame of 
mind in entering upon the career of a Christian. Here 
is conviction ; here is knowledge ; here is faith ; here 
is hope. 

Application. 

1. One of the evidences that we have assurance of 
grace, is a determined resolution. What we build on 
the tower to-day may fall to-night, but we know that 
we have an abundant backing in God's treasury of 
grace; and so we will not be discouraged, but will go 
forward to build up again. 

"We may be defeated to-day on the battle-field, 
where self, or the world, or Satan, with a host, met us 
in deadly conflict. But we know that we have plenty 
of reserves in the legions of divine grace. So we 
only fall back to rally again for another contest. Like 
Israel, we may be repulsed before some Ai. But like 
Israel, we will humble ourselves in prayer, and peni- 
tence, and faith, and strive to so prepare ourselves that 
the like will not occur again. 

This determination to go forward is the soul's evi- 
dence that we have counted the cost. We will ask 
ourselves, "Why should we give up this work? In 
our Father's house there is plenty and to spare. I 
will arise and go on again." There may be times 
when, like the Psalmist, we will feel like saying, " My 
tears have been my meat day and night, while they 
continually say unto me, ' Where is thy God ? ' " But 
with the Psalmist, we will find comfort and encourage- 



Assurance of Grace. 65 

ment in this thought : "As the heart panteth after the 
water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." 

2. But the best evidence that we have counted the 
cost, is perseverance. Suppose we are engaged for a 
score of years in trying to build up one grace- wing of 
this Tower, and the work progresses so slowly that one 
would think it impossible. Yet we will be willing to 
keep on another score of years. For have we not in 
God's promised grace most a"bundant encouragement 
to hope that all will, in the end, be well? 

Suppose we fail in a ten years' siege of the castle of 
some besetting sin. We will not consent to raise the 
siege. For have we not in God's grace ample guaranty 
that when we have compassed the castle the full num- 
ber of times, God will cause the walls to fall down, and 
give us the victory ? 

3. The reason why so many begin to build, and give 
it up, and thus incur the ridicule of the world; the 
reason why so many go out in battle array against the 
soul's enemies, and are defeated — yea, destroyed — the 
reason is they do not count the cost. 

Perhaps they did not think of all that would be re- 
quired of them ; did not think of the power of Satan 
and self, and the world. 

Or, perhaps, they may have thought of all this, but 
did not know how weak they were in themselves to 
meet these foes, or do this work. They thought they 
had more ability than was the true state of the case. 

Or, perhaps, they never did get a deep and abiding 
impression of the vast riches of grace which are in 
Christ Jesus, and trust themselves wholly to this. 

4. O how many there are of whom the world is con- 



66 The Twin Parables. 

tinually saying : " This man began to build and was 
not able to finish." I know an old house in this 
county that makes me think of this parable every time 
I see it. It was begun scores of years ago ; begun on 
a magnificent plan. There are great princely halls, 
and numerous roomy chambers, and splendid parlors, 
and costly bay windows, and elegant towers, and 
spacious galleries, with fancy balconies, and beautiful 
mouldings, and all manner of carvings and etchings — 
indeed, every thing to make a superb edifice. It 
shows the generous conceptions of the builder. But 
alas ! alas ! it was never finished, and it stands to-day 
decayed and shattered, — almost ready to fall. " This 
man began to build and was not able to finish." So 
have I thought, as I have looked at some men. Years 
and years ago, they set out to build for Jesus the tower 
of piety and godliness. They began in a liberal way. 
They were "bright and shining lights," and many 
were willing "for a season to rejoice in their light." 
They promised much. They did run well. But there 
was one besetting sin, for the overcoming of which 
they did not count the cost. They never computed 
how much self-denial was necessary; how much hu- 
mility was required; how much prayer; how much 
fasting; how much penitence. And that unfinished 
part of their characters has spoiled all the building. 
After long years, they fall as helpless victims before 
that sin. The world says: "This man began to build, 
and was not able to finish." 

But the world never says that of one whom it finds 
ever present at his work. The devil may tear down 
what he does, but because he tries to build it up again, 



Assurance of Grace. 67 

and never becomes disheartened, all who behold him 
bear testimony to his stability of character. 

Let us, then, seek for this Assurance of Grace as the 
first step towards assurance of faith and assurance of 
heaven. 



SERMON VI. 
RELIGIOUS GROWTH. 

"The Mustard Seed." (Matt. xiii. 31, 32; Mark iv. 30-32; Luke 

xiii. 19.) 
"The Leaven." (Matt. xiii. 33; Luke xiii. 20, 21.) 

1. ~T"TTE call attention to the fact that the first par- 
V V able speaks of the mustard seed only, except 
some incidental circumstances ; but the second speaks 
of the leaven in its relation to the meal. 

2. In the study of the first, that of the Mustard 
Seed, though one person, taking Matthew and Luke 
for his guides, may place emphasis on the importance 
of the sowing ; and another, taking Mark, the idea of 
smallness in the beginning ; and though one may invite 
special attention from Matthew and Mark's words, to 
the fact that the result is only an herb ; and another 
may consider that as unimportant in the exposition; 
and another may emphasize the greatness in strength ; 
and another the luxuriance : yet no one can properly 
trace the mind of the Spirit, who fails to make the idea 
of growth the nucleus around which the illustration 
gathers, and to which every other thought is to be 
adapted. So is it with the latter parable. The Leaven 
grows from a small portion, until three bushels are 
leavened. 

3. The general truth of growth being thus plainly 



Religious Growth. 69 

derived, we come to inquire what spiritual connection 
it has : to what religious idea is it to be applied ? 

There are two principles of righteousness. It is 
written by John, of Jesus, that he was " full of grace 
and truth." These are the two principles to which the 
parables refer. The truth grows; the grace in the 
heart grows. 

I. The parable of the Mustard Seed teaches the 
growth of grace and truth in the abstract. 

II. The parable of the Leaven teaches the expulsive 
power of these principles as they grow. 

I. Truth and grace make absolute progress. Truth 
will go forth in its conquest of the world to God, and 
grace in the heart will grow. 

1. These principles, like the Mustard Seed, have 
a small beginning. 

(1.) The history of the church and of Christian life, 
shows this to be true. God revealed his will at first to 
a very small part of the human family, when he gave 
the law and prophecies to Israel. Every Christian's 
knowledge of himself and of God, is, in the beginning, 
very limited. He learns first, as it were, his a, b, c's. 

God manifested his mercy and holiness to a mere 
fraction of the human family, when he established his 
church in Abraham and his seed. The Holy Spirit 
plants in the soul the tiny germs of grace, in attention, 
and consideration, and penitence. The sinner first 
sees "men as trees walking." The child of God crawls 
before he walks. 

(2.) The teaching of the Bible is to the same purport. 

The beginning of a Christian's life is called regener- 



70 The Twin Parables. 

ation. We are begotten into God's family. It is called 
a new birtli. The sinner is born a son of God. The 
progress of truth and grace is compared to the sunlight, 
beginning with a dawn, and succeeded by the day. 

(3.) That religious principles begin small, is derived 
from analogy : like all the works of Deity, that have 
their period of germhood, so to speak ; like the rivers 
that begin with a fountain ; like the great oaks that 
spring from acorns ; like extensive continents that were 
once insignificent islands ; like the animal world that 
had its infancy. 

The world cannot be expected to come to Christ in 
a day. We cannot hope to see holiness become pre- 
valent over the earth in a year. We cannot expect d the be- 
nighted sinner to know his duties and dangers in an hour. 
We cannot expect the disciple of Jesus to be an expert 
in godliness from the very outset. 

2. But the principles of religion, though small in 
the beginning like the mustard seed, will, like that seed, 
grow. It is natural for them to do so. They cannot 
stand still. They cannot decay, for they are incor- 
ruptible seed. 

(1.) In this respect, they are compared to animal 
growth. " When I was a child, I spake, etc., as a child, 
but when I became a man, etc." The young convert 
is called a babe in Christ, and after a time, is spoken 
of as being capable of taking strong meat. 

(2.) The development of these principles is compared 
to vegetable growth : Like the vine ; like the seed 
planted, "first the blade, then the ear, then the full 
corn in the ear;" like the tree whose leaves cannot 
wither, and that bringeth forth its fruit in its season. 



Eeligious Growth. 71 

The plants of truth and grace grow, until, like the 
fowls of the air in the branches, thoughts akin to God- 
head find a harbor in our minds ; and feelings and emo- 
tions worthy of angels, take shelter, and find nourish- 
ment, and receive support, and establish residence in 
our hearts. 

II. The parable of the Leaven, while representing 
the growth of religious principles, does not, like that 
of the Mustard Seed, refer to their absolute, but to 
their relative progress. It shows how these princi- 
ples destroy all traces of evil. 

They accomplish this by controlling the faculties of 
the heart and mind, so that they are exercised in the 
interests of religion, while other interests are left to 
become dwarfed and die. As a crop may be ruined 
by letting the grass grow and taking away the soil- 
properties from it. 

1. The grace-root of love, or charity, enters the 
heart, and controlling the thoughts and affections in 
its own interests, the plants of hatred, variance, strife, 
and so on, lose their vitality. 

2. The grace-root of chastity, or purity, strikes into 
the soul, and by regulating the powers thereof, pre- 
vents the maturity of adultery, fornication, unclean- 
ness, lasciviousness, and such like. 

3. The grace-root of love for divine worship pene- 
trates the heart and mind, and so over rules all their 
energies, that they have nothing with which to sustain 
idolatry or infidelity. The idols of wood or stone, or 
flesh, or anything else, sit up in their temples so neg- 
lected that they go to decay. 

4. The grace-root of joy in the Holy Ghost, or of 



72 The Twin Paeables. 

delight in religious work or experience, finds a place 
in the man's life, and everything else is so brought 
under its influence that there is no longer any pleasure 
in carnal things, and all such delights are left out in 
the cold to freeze for want of patronage. 

As the Leaven leavened the meal by bringing under 
its control all the ingredients contained therein, so 
grace purifies the heart and life of every one of its 
subjects. 

Application. 

1. It does not require much knowledge, or strength 
either, to begin to be a Christian. "We must not 
" despise the day of small things." What God asks of 
us is to act upon the first impulse of the Spirit. We 
are not to be prevented from embarking in the Christian 
life, because we imagine great things are expected of 
us. Religious experience has often times an infinitely 
small beginning. 

2. A salutary lesson to be learned from these two 
parables, is that, if our knowledge of spiritual things 
and our graces do not grow, they are, doubtless, false. 
"If ye abide in me," says Christ, "ye shall bear much 
fruit." That growth shall be manifested by an in- 
creased appreciation of Scripture doctrines, because 
better understood and more personally appropriated ; 
by a greater desire to conform to God's will, and 
ability to do so, and by being daily weaned away from 
all that was once attractive and pleasing to the carnal 
nature. 



SEBMON VII. 

TRUE AND FALSE RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"The Pkodigal Son. " (Luke xv. 11-32.) 

"The Pharisee and Publican." (Luke xviii. 9-14.) 

1. npHESE parables are in many respects similar. (1.) 
± The object aimed at by the Saviour in speak- 
ing them was one. The parable of the Pharisee and 
Publican was spoken to certain ones "which trusted in 
themselves that they were righteous, and despised 
others." Such a man was the Pharisee. And we find 
the same disposition in the elder son. 

The parable of the Prodigal was spoken in answer 
to the cavil of the Jews that Jesus mingled too freely 
with the publicans and sinners. Such a man was the 
elder son. And we find the same disposition in the 
Pharisee. 

(2.) In both these parables we discover the same 
two classes of persons. In the one, we find the self- 
righteous represented by the Pharisee ; in the other, by 
the elder son. The penitent sinner is represented in 
one case by the Publican, and in the other by the 
Prodigal. 

(3.) Both of these parables reveal the same spirit in 
the penitent. The Prodigal feels and confesses his 
faults. The Publican does the same. 

(4.) In both we see the self-righteous man exhibit- 
ing the same trait of character. The Pharisee's self- 
righteousness makes him speak in a vain manner of 
5 



74 The Twin Parables. 

his own goodness. The elder son expresses precisely 
the same thoughts and feelings, though in different 
words. 

2. These two parables are, however, complemental 
to each other. They are, in the main, on the same 
subject, but each presents that subject from a different 
standpoint. 

(1.) We get distinct and separate views of the char- 
acter of the self-righteous man. 

In the Pharisee, the self-righteous man, though 
seeming to be prayerful, is really not so. There is not 
a word of petition in what he says. 

In the elder son, the self-righteous man is seen to 
undervalue God's grace and mercy. 

(2.) We get different ideas of the penitent sinner. 

In the conduct of the Publican, we see that mercy is 
the plea which the penitent makes at God's hand. He 
never thinks of justice. And he pleads mercy through 
atonement. For this is the meaning of the words, 
"Have mercy!" It is, "Accept an atonement for me." 

In the conduct of the Prodigal, we find that the cause 
which leads the sinner to repent and beg for mercy is 
love. This was what made the Prodigal take the re- 
solve to go home. This love, seen in the father's re- 
ception, was what made him able to carry out that re- 
solution. 

(3.) We get distinct ideas of God. In the parable of 
the Publican and Pharisee, God is represented to us as 
justifying the sinner. In that of the Prodigal, God is 
set forth as pardoning the sinner. Pardon is the result 
of justification. There could be no pardon without the 
preceding justification. 



Teue and False Righteousness. 75 

(4.) We derive from these parables separate views 
of tlie relation between God and the penitent. 

In the parable of the Pharisee and Publican, we see 
the sinner at God's altar, worshipping and glorifying 
God. 

In the story of the Prodigal, we see the sinner in 
his father's house, and at his father's table, enjoying 
God. 

3. From ail this, we derive the general topic : 

True and False Righteousness. 
I. What is false righteousness ? The double pic- 
ture presented here will give us a satisfactory answer. 

1. It may have morality and correct living. The 
Pharisee was a model of uprightness — religious, chari- 
table, temperate. The elder son was obedient, 
faithful, self-denying. Yet neither of them is com- 
mended as an example to be followed by us in seeking 
favor with God. Besides, we are expressly told that 
our "righteousness must exceed the righteousness of 
the scribes and Pharisees." 

2. False righteousness thinks well of itself, and 
despises others. It does not doubt its own genuine- 
ness. It lets its left hand know what its right hand 
doeth. It treasures up its good and correct doings. It 
does not find fault with itself. It justifies itself. It 
praises itself. It does not esteem others better than 
itself. "Others are not converted, but I am. Others 
do not know the time and place, but I do. Others are 
ashamed to pray in public, but I am not. Others are 
doubtful about going to heaven , but I am not. I never 
go into bad company like that man. I have family 



76 The Twin Parables. 

worship, and that man does not. I read my Bible 
daily, but he does not." 

That is the way false righteousness talks and thinks. 

It estimates a professed Christian's character by 
comparing it with what itself is. It looks at the 
outside alone. It has not charity enough to con- 
sider that : 

' ' Down in the human heart, 

Crushed by the tempter, 

Feelings lie buried that grace can restore." 

It looked for fruit at the wrong time ; or in the wrong 
place ; or of the wrong kind. When there should be 
only blooms, it looks for figs. When the fruit grows 
underground, it looks for it on the top branches. It 
looks for grafted fruit ; fine, showy, when they are only 
seedlings, small indeed, and somewhat inferior, but 
withal good fruit. 

3. False righteousness underestimates the richness 
of God's goodness and mercy and grace. It uses words 
expressive of thankfulness, but it is only thankful that 
it makes the fair appearance it does. It takes credit 
to itself for what it is, or has, or does, instead of giv- 
ing the praise to God. If any one is not as good as 
he is, he thinks it is the man's own fault. He does 
not give God the glory for being as good and holy as 
he is. 

It cannot understand how God can be so merciful as 
to bear with men who are profligate and trifling. He 
cannot see how God can be so full of grace as to par- 
don certain heinous and aggravated sinners. 

He has not such a sense of God's goodness, as to 
make him grateful for adversity and calamity. He has 



Teue and False Eighteousness. 77 

not such a sense of God's mercy, as to make him deeply 
humbled with a feeling of his own unworthiness. He 
has not such a sense of God's grace, as to make him 
feel that he needs God every day and hour and mo- 
ment. He prizes not imputed righteousness, as much 
as he does self-righteousness. He feels not so depend- 
ent, as independent. He feels not so humble, as proud. 
He is not so hopeful, as confident. He does not trust, 
so much as he is sure. He does not fear, so much as 
he presumes. He does not pray, so much as he boasts. 
He does not love, so much as he judges, and finds fault, 
and criticizes. He is shameless, self-assertive, self- 
important, self-assured, forward, boisterous, verbose. 

II. Here we find, in a positive way, what teue eight- 
eousness is. 

For it is not enough to say it is the opposite of false 
righteousness. It is not enough to say it gives humble 
views of self ; or that it gives all the glory to God ; or 
that it puts a true estimate upon divine mercy and love. 

1. We are led to consider the relations that it estab- 
lishes between God and the sinner. 

(1.) It brings the sinner to God's altar as a worship- 
per. He worships God rather than self. Note the 
difference between the worship of the Pharisee and that 
of the publican. The thought suggested by the former, 
is "all of self, and none of God." That suggested by 
the latter, is "none of self, and all of God." 

(2.) True righteousness brings the sinner into the 
Heavenly Father's house, and seats him at God's table. 
There is intimate communion between God and the 
righteous. While the self-righteous man stays out of 



78 The Twin Parables. 

the feast, the righteous man enters into it. While the 
former encourages and gives way to a feeling of es- 
trangement, the latter is in the very bosom of the 
Holy Family. The former finds fault, and therefore 
does not enjoy God. The latter honors God and all 
men, and finds fault only with himself, and so enjoys 
God. The former detracts from the joy of communion. 
The latter adds to it. The conduct of the former 
makes others unhappy ; that of the latter makes others 
happy. The former displeases, the latter pleases, God. 

2. We are led to consider the views which true 
righteousness gives us of God. 

(1.) He is presented to us as a God that justifies the 
believer. The truly righteous are released from all 
blame and censure on account of sin. The Holy 
Spirit's seal is upon his heart, as the Prodigal wore 
the ring upon his finger. He feels that he is a child of 
God. He appropriates the promises of the gospel of 
peace, as the Prodigal had shoes put on his feet. He 
is clothed with the righteousness of Christ, as the Pro- 
digal had the best robe put upon him. 

(2.) God is presented as a God that pardons. Par- 
don is the result of justification. The sinner, being 
justified, is pardoned. There is in his ears a voice of 
forgiveness. There is in his soul a feeling of peace. 
He knows and realizes that he does not deserve it, and 
yet he rejoices in the assurance that it is so. 

3. The truly righteous man has feeling* that bring 
him, to God. 

(1.) He feels that God is love. He does not fear 
his wrath. He thinks only of His goodness and 
grace. What he sees in creation, and providence, and 



Tkue and False Righteousness. 79 

redemption impresses Mm with the thought of divine 
compassion and mercy. 

(2.) He feels that he is very guilty, and needs mercy. 
He sees his danger and corruption. He sees Christ as 
his atonement, and mediator, and propitiation. He is 
lost and undone, and can go to none other — can hope 
in none but God in Christ. Then behold how earnest 
the righteous man is! how modest! how quiet! how 
contrite ! how submissive ! how humble ! 

Application. 

1. There is one very important lesson for us to 
learn from these two parables, viz. : without sincere re- 
pentance for sin, we can not glorify or worship God. 
Without this, what honors we render to Him are not 
acceptable. Without this, we can not enjoy God. 
Without this, there is no peace of conscience or sense 
of the divine favor, or possession of heaven at last. 

Repentance is the very soul of active religion, and 
the secret of experimental piety. It will bring us to 
the sanctuary ; make us prayerful ; drive us away from 
being keepers of the devil's service ; cause us to loathe 
the husks of lust, and passion, and pride; give us a 
welcome with God ; make us to be shod with the pre- 
paration of the gospel of peace ; put on our souls the 
seal of the Holy Ghost ; clothe us with the best robe ; 
seat us at the Father's table, the marriage supper of 
the Lamb, and make us participants of the bliss of 
heaven. 

2. One of the surest evidences that we are not self- 
righteous is, we are charitable toward all men. For 
there can be no charity where there is self-righteous- 



80 The Twin Paeables. 

ness. If we are truly righteous, we do not despise the 
poor, the erring, the weak, the prodigal, the dissolute ; 
but we will sympathize with them, try to help them, 
be patient toward them, "considering ourselves, lest 
we also be tempted." 



SERMON VIII. 

RELIGION DEVELOPED AND UN- 
DEVELOPED. 

' ' The Hid Treasure. " (Matt. xiii. 44. ) 

' ' The Pearl or Great Price. " (Matt, xiii . 45, 46 .) 

1. ~|~ ET us get at the general truth set forth by 
1 J these two parables. 

(1.) The object in both is to show how the end 
aimed at was reached, viz. : the getting of the treasure. 
Both men found the treasure by seeking for it. When 
they had found it, they sold all they had and bought it. 

(2.) This is to be applied to the question : "How am 
I to get religion ? " We are to get it by seeking for it, 
and by consecrating all we have to its purposes and 
ends. Religion is presented as a treasure — a treasure 
for a time concealed from our apprehension and appre- 
ciation ; a treasure found and enjoyed only when sought 
for ; a treasure procured at the sacrifice of everything else. 

2. But each one of these parables represents religion 
to us in a different light from the other ; and the key 
to that difference is found in the words "pearl" and 
"treasure hid in a field." 

(1.) The parable of the Pearl of Great Price sets> 
forth religion under the figure of a developed treasure 
as the beginning of Christian experience — the first 
realization of the Christian's hope. 

(2.) The parable of the Hid Treasure presents religion 



82 The Twin Parables. 

under the figure of a gold mine, as capable of infinite 
development. 

(3.) As the merchantman sought the pearl, ex- 
pecting to find it ready to be enjoyed at the moment of 
possession, so the sinner whose mind begins to turn to 
God, seeks religion, as the Christian's hope, as a per- 
fect realization. The merchantman didn't seek for 
something that he must use to get the good out of it 
So the anxious sinner seeks conversion as a complete 
possession in itself, and not as something which he is 
to work up to make it valuable. 

But the man seeking the Hid Treasure, or the gold 
mine, aimed at the possession of a treasure which he 
could develop into immense wealth by use. So, after 
a sinner is converted, having gotten the pearl, he seeks 
the mine. He seeks the enjoyment of religion, as 
something that he can work up to great and still greater 
degrees of value. 

3. Now just as these men obtained possession of 
these treasures, we are to get and enjoy religion. 

I. We are to find it. 

II. We are to buy it at a sacrifice. 

I. If we wish to obtain the Christian's hope or joys, 
we must find them. 

These men did not accidentally come upon these 
treasures. The man mentioned in verse 4±, was doubt- 
less a regular gold hunter. He was seeking for a gold 
mine. The merchant was seeking for pearls. 

So religion is not gotten by accident. We must 
seek for it. 

1. A certain state of mind is necessary Our atten- 



Eeligion Developed and Undeveloped. 83 

tion and interest must be concentrated on religion, if 
we would have it. It must be made our sole business. 

(1.) We must have no business that conflicts with 
this. Suppose a man sets out to make temperance 
lectures and at the same time is a whiskey drummer. 
There is a conflict of business, and a failure must 
result. 

Suppose a man pretends to seek for religion, and is, 
all the time, seeking for sinful pleasures. Will he not 
fail in the matter of religion? How can a man get 
religion and live in the gratification of licentious pas- 
sions? or give way to his impatience in oaths and 
swearing? or continue to defraud his fellowmen? or 
indulge in deceit and falsehood? 

(2.) We must not have any business that diverts our 
mind from religion. An agent is required by his em- 
ployer to confine himself to one line of goods. If he 
is to sell the publications of one house, he must not be 
a general colporteur. 

So, if the sinner wants to get religion, he must not 
do anything to divert him from it. If he farms, let 
him do it in the interests of religion. If he practices 
law or medicine, or sells goods, let him have an eye 
single to the glory of God in the salvation of souls. 

The man seeking a mine, no doubt, often sought 
food or water, or lodging, or protection from some evil, 
or for different kinds of forest growth or soils, yet all 
in subserviency to the gold hunting. He may have 
indulged in temporary recreations or diversions; but 
he never lost sight of his work. 

So let it be with men seeking religion. Let them 
be like the merchantman, carry their valise, buy their 



84 The Twin Parables. 

travelling ticket, check their baggage, chat with fellow- 
passengers, seek rooms at hotels, enjoy the scenery by 
the way, read the dailies, take refreshments, and so on. 
But let their eye be single; let them do and enjoy all 
such things in the interest of the religion they seek. 

2. There are certain restrictions and legulations for 
the successful seeking of religion. The miner has 
certain kinds of localities and modes of procedure, in 
which to seek a mine. So has the merchantman 
seeking pearls. Agents generally have their territory 
assigned to them, and the rules and limitations neces- 
sary to the success of their work. 

So must it be in religion. There are certain places 
and ways in which to seek. 

(1.) It is to be sought by the use of the words of 
truth. This is the instrument used by the Holy Spirit 
for regeneration and sanctification. It must be read 
and heard diligently. Seeking for the hope of the 
Christian or the joys of religion, and neglecting the 
Word, is like a miner seeking a mine regardless of 
localities. 

(2.) Religion is to be sought by prayer. To neglect 
this, and expect to be converted, or grow in grace, is 
like a merchantman seeking pearls, who does not know 
a pearl from a common rock; like a gold hunter seek- 
ing a mine without his instruments or like a drummer, 
without his samples, 

(3.) But especially must religion be sought at the 
foot of the cross. We may read our Bible until we are 
gray ; we may pray until we grow deaf and dumb, and 
yet if we come not to the foot of the cross, where Jesus 
died, where the blood of atonement flows, we will never 



Religion Developed and Undeveloped. 85 

be converted, or enjoy religion. There only, will we see 
what guilty sinners we are ; how helpless ; how willing 
God is to pardon ; how able God is to help ; how odi- 
ous is sin ; how glorious is holiness. 

In short, we are to seek religion with a determined 
heart and mind, in the use of the means of grace, and 
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

II. But many a sinner finds religion, who does not 
get it. There is many a man who thinks religion is 
a good thing, and is almost persuaded to become a 
Christian; but he puts it off, and to-day he has not 
religion in possession. Many a man professes to be a 
Christian, and is a Christian, but has never had any 
realization of Christian experience; he never felt any 
change of mind or of heart; he does not know the 
time or place of conversion. He has found religion, 
but practically he has not got it. Many a man in the 
church has had this sweet feeling of conversion, and 
received the pearl of religious experience ; but if reli- 
gion is a gold mine, with rich veins of glorious graces, 
and sparkling principle, and precious joys and com- 
forts, he has not found it out. He has never found the 
gold mine of religion. And many a man has discov- 
ered that religion is capable of growth and increase of 
strength and power, but his own experience does not 
prove it to him. 

It is desirable, not only to find religion, but to secure 
a living hold upon it, and an inalienable title to it, so 
that we can positively say it belongs to us. In order 
to do this, we must buy it at God's own price. The 
moment we pay down what God demands, he will 



86 The Twin Parables. 

give us the title, written in characters which we can 
understand. 

But what is the price upon it? This miner had to 
give all that he had for the gold field. The merchant 
had to give all that he had for the Pearl of Great Price. 
So the sinner must give up all he has for and to re- 
ligion. 

1. The first principle, then, is that the sinner, in or- 
der to get religion, . himself. He must not 
consider anything as of anj' value compared to religion. 
He must have no other hope or trust. 

(1.) The sinner often tries to make a different bar- 
gain with God. He proposes to give up all his sins 
but one. But God says, " all." 

Sinner, you have tried to get the Christian's hope, 
and failed, because you were not willing to give up 
every sin. Young lady, you have tried to secure the 
Christian's hope, or to have the enjoyments of religion, 
but you have said, " I must be allowed to dance." 
Yet most of the Christian world understand God as 
declaring that you must give up that too. That is the 
reason why you have not become a happy Christian. 
Give up all, and your " peace will flow like a river." 

Yonder is a man who says, " I want to be a Chris- 
tian, and to live in the enjoyment of religion, but I 
cannot forgive my enenry." Alas! alas! Right there 
is where you fail. Give up your pride and selfishness 
and God's Word for it, you will realize the hopes 
and joys of a believer. 

(2.) Often a sinner is willing to give up all his sins, but 
there are some duties which he is not ready to undertake. 
But God says we must take His yoke upon us. 



Eeligion Developed and Undeveloped. 87 

Perhaps the duty is that you pray in public ; or 
preach the gospel ; or teach in the Sabbath-school ; or 
hold family worship ; or give of your substance to the 
church; or some other of greater or less importance. 
You will not undertake it. That refusal denies your 
hopes and lessens your joys as a child of God; robs 
you of the fulness of religion; stands between you 
and the sunlight of the Master's face. 

(3.) But the sinner often makes another fatal 
blunder. He consents to give up all his sins and take 
up all his duties, but he proposes to do it in his 
own strength. He thinks he can reform himself. He 
offers to God the rags of his own righteousness, and 
expects in return the joys of religion ; but such is not 
the divine plan. 

2. The next principle is to take up Christ's cross 
and follow Him; not only give up everything for 
Christ, but consecrate everything to Him. 

Just as long as you hold back anything, you will 
fail to enjoy religion. The moment you consecrate all 
to Christ and His cause, you will experience the riches 
of grace and glory. 

Many persons wait for a great change in their 
feelings before i~hej will profess conversion ; and they 
seem to expect that change without any special effort 
on their part. But they will never know any real 
change, except that which follows a complete sur- 
render of themselves to God and His cause. Let 
them sell all they have ; all their sins ; all their selfish- 
ness ; all their pride ; all their love of ease ; all their 
minds, hearts, bodies, and friends ; all their property 
and character; let them sell everything which they 



88 The Twin Parables. 

have or love, or which may hinder their godly walk, 
or which they take interest in, or in which they hope ; 
let them sell everything, and they will have a hold 
upon religion, which they will feel to be a true and 
abiding one. 

Application. 

1. Sinner, conversion, the possession of the Chris- 
tian hope, is a pearl, a Pearl of Great Price. Do you 
want it? Then do like this merchantman. 

(1.) Seek for it by the diligent use of God's Word, 
and by prayer at the foot of the cross. 

(2.) Sacrifice everything in order to get it. Conse- 
crate everything to this end and purpose. 

2. Christian, religion is a gold mine, capable of in- 
finite development. What you get at conversion is 
but a taste of what will follow. Its rich veins of grace 
run out into every part of life. It extends even down 
to the grave, and far beyond, into the boundless ever- 
more. Do you wish to possess this gold mine in all 
its vastness of wealth ? The plan is before you. 

(1.) Do not get away from Calvary. There is the 
richest deposit. Abide with God at the mercy seat of 
prayer. Live daily upon the word of truth. 

(2.) Give up everything, rather than a single prin- 
ciple of religion. Consecrate all to God's love and 
service. 

This done, you will find inexhaustible supplies of 
peace and joy, and hope and love, and every other 
divine grace and blessing. 



PART III. 



RELIGION IN THE LIFE. 
EXAMPLE. 



SERMON IX. 

Getting Rid of Responsibility: "The Unjust Steward," 
and " The Wicked Husbandmen." 

SERMON X. 

DlSCTPLESHIP AND DUTIES : " The BOTTLES," AND " The 

Patches." 

SERMON XI. 

Pkayek : " The Importunate Friend," and " The Importu- 
nate Widow." 

SERMON XH. 

Forgiveness: "The Wicked Servant," and "The Two 
Debtors." 



SEKMON IX. 

GETTING RID OF RESPONSIBILITY. 

"The Unjust Stewakd." (Luke xvi. 1-12.) 

"The Wicked Husbandmen. " (Matt. xxi. 33-43; Mark xii. 1-12; 
Luke xx. 9-18 

1. T I THE general idea throughout this parable of the 
1 Husbandmen, as recorded by the three evan- 
gelists, is this : These men were renters on a man's farm, 
and not only refused to pay the rent, but mistreated the 
man's household, and tried to get the farm wholly into 
their possession. 

The general idea of the parable of the Unjust Stew- 
ard is this : The Steward not only wasted his master's 
goods, but defrauded him of his just dues. 

2. Let us compare these parables. 

(1.) In these points they are similar : Both the Stew- 
ard and the Husbandmen were in charge of another 
man's goods ; both were expected to render an account 
of their management; both abused the confidence re- 
posed in them, and tried to rob the master. 

(2.) But here are complemental ideas : 

One was to take care of goods, and report ; the other 
was to increase goods, and pay rent. 

One erred in wasting and defrauding ; the other, in 
refusing to submit to the demands of the master. 

One showed his rebellious spirit by openly resist- 
ing; the other, by trying to make friends to himself 
and enemies to his master. 



92 The Twin Parables. 

3. The Husbandmen represent men in their relation 
to God as his renters, using his property, and required 
by him to pay for the use of it. It teaches how rebel- 
lious men are toward God in refusing to recognize his 
authority over them, and their responsibility to him. 

The Steward represents men in their relation to God 
as his business managers, required to attend to the 
interests of God, and render a fair account thereof. It 
teaches how treacherous and false they are to God in 
trying to rob him of his just dues, and escape their 
responsibility to him. 

4. The general subject, then, is this : 

Getting Eid of Eesponsibility to God. 

I. Notice men's responsibility to God. 

They are responsible in two ways : they have placed 
in their hands that which they are to use for his glory, 
first, by taking care of it ; and, second, by making it 
profitable in building up his kingdom. Men are re- 
quired to be not wasteful of God's gifts, and to labor 
for the interest of his cause. 

1. Men are stewards under God. They have certain 
interests of God's put under their care. It is expected 
that they be kept and preserved as in trust for God. 

(1.) Here are the affairs of God's visible kingdom, 
the church and its ordinances. They were originally 
put in the hands of Israel, God's chosen people. Since 
the coming of Christ, they are under the care of 
others, — men called for that purpose. 

The written word, the Bible, men are to preserve. 
They are expected to keep it from destruction, anp 
from corruption. The preached gospel is to be kedt 



Getting Kid op Responsibility. 93 

up. God requires men to see to it, that it does not 
cease to exist, that it is made efficient, and that it be 
preserved from impurities. They are required to main- 
tain prayer, and the sacraments of baptism and the 
Lord's supper. 

(2.) Here are the interests of God as invested in our 
fellowmen. 

We are to preserve and hold as sacred, the honor 
which belongs to every one in his several relation, as 
superior, inferior, and equal. We are to protect the 
life of our neighbor, to preserve his chastity, to respect 
and hold inviolate his property. We are forbidden to 
do anything injurious to his character, or to even think 
of defrauding him in any way. 

His soul is, to a greater or less extent, in our care. 
Particularly is this true of those with whom, by reason 
of social or domestic relation, we are specially inti- 
mate. 

(3.) God has interest in us ourselves. We are to take 
marked care of our bodies, minds, and souls ; and sed- 
ulously guard and regulate, so far as we can, all those 
circumstances which are calculated to make us happy, 
or by which we may render others happy. 

Thus are we God's stewards. 

2. But we are also God's renters. We have been 
placed in temporary possession of his property, in 
order that we may use it for him and his cause. 

(1.) In the very act of taking care of such of God's 
interests as are put into our hands, we live to his glory. 
Suppose we are zealous to maintain the word and sac- 
raments; we honor him: honor him by worship, by 
service, and by the perpetuation of these divine in- 



94 The Twin Parables. 

strumentalities. We thus help to make him known, 
and to build up his kingdom among men, and to ac- 
complish the great design of redemption's plan, the 
salvation of sinners. 

In caring for our own and our neighbors' honor, life, 
chastity, property, character, and soul, what are we do- 
ing, but bringing glory to God by our obedience, and 
by the preservation of those interests for which, and 
by which he works ? We thus make ourselves to be- 
come co-workers with God in his vineyard. 

(2.) But there is more demanded of us than this. 
The husbandmen were required not only to take care 
of the vineyard, so that it would ever be a source of 
revenue to their lord, but to pay a stipulated rent peri- 
odically, as a compensation for the advantages they 
realized from its temporary possession, and as an in- 
come to the owner. 

So we are not only to be careful with these divine 
interests committed to our trust, so that God will not 
lose by our holding the agency; but we are expected 
to render them positively profitable to his cause and 
kingdom. 

We must so use his ordinances as that they will pro- 
mote his glory in the conversion and sanctification of 
our own souls and those of others. We are to utilize 
our domestic and social relations to the accomplish- 
ment of the same end. We are to use our bodies and 
minds, and character and influence and property, so as 
to make them serviceable in carrying on the work of 
redemption. Yea, a positive demand is made on us 
for a given portion of our time and thought, and love 
and labor, and substance and all else. 



Getting Eid of Eesponsibility. 95 

All these tilings make up the sum of our responsi- 
bility to God. We are not independent. But we are 
stewards and renters under the Divine Master. 

II. Notice now how men try to get rid of their re- 
sponsibility. It is finely^represented by the conduct 
of these husbandmen, when trying to get clear of pay- 
ing rent ; by the conduct of this servant, when trying 
to avoid the disastrous consequences of being turned 
out of his office. Men try to get rid of their responsi- 
bility to God in one of two ways : first, either by al- 
ways opposing God's claims upon them; or, second, 
while admitting these claims, by endeavoring to satisfy 
them in some other manner than that which God has 
prescribed. 

1. These husbandmen tried to get rid of paying the 
rent by sending off their master's servants, or by kill- 
ing them. So men try to avoid their religious duties 
by sending off or killing God's servants. 

(1.) These servants are ministers, our Christian 
friends, or other agencies. They urge upon us the 
performance of duties. Ministers, for this purpose, 
preach the gospel and administer the sacraments. For 
this purpose parents teach their children. For this 
purpose Sabbath-school teachers and church officers 
labor in the church. For this purpose our relatives 
set us a good example and give us a goodly precept. 
For this the religious press is wrought. For this all 
events of Providence conspire. 

(2.) Men, by resisting these appeals and exhorta- 
tions, try to drive off or destroy these influences. The 
result is, that it is often as they desire. 



96 The Twin Parables. 

Those who labor for their good desist after repeated 
repulses, and depart, grieving sadly over the wicked 
and ungrateful conduct of men. The Master may send 
back others, but they receive the same treatment. 
Many a preacher of the gospel has been led to give 
up his work among those who persistently withstood 
him. So did Jesus on several occasions. So did the 
apostles ; and it has been so ever since. Many a moth- 
er has despaired of ever seeing her son come to Christ. 
Many loved ones have their lives overshadowed by the 
firm conviction, that the dearest objects of their earthly 
affection have passed beyond all hope. Nor is this all. 
The resistance which the ungodly offer to the gospel is 
often of such a character as to kill, destroy, the moral 
and religious influence of God's servants. This is done 
by evil whispering or slanderous intimations, that cause 
the world to be suspicious and distrustful. It is done 
by defrauding the righteous out of this world's estate, 
which cripples them from being able to practice bene- 
ficence. And there are cases where the natural life is 
taken, in opposition to Christ and his people. 

(3.) But what are the stones and implements with 
which this work of resistance is carried on ? These are 
many, and we could not be expected to mention all, 
for they include every device and ingenuity of the De- 
vil, and the flesh, and the world against what is good. 
But we call attention to a few. 

Indifference is one stone. How many a servant of 
God has been discouraged and his efforts paralyzed by 
this! 

Carelessness is another. Men respond to exhorta- 
tions and invitations in a reckless and thoughtless way, 



Getting Eid of ^Responsibility. 97 

that does more harm than if they had paid no atten- 
tion to them. 

Worldliness is another. Men let the cares of this 
life, and its pleasures and aspirations, choke the seed 
of truth. 

Then there are scepticism, and infidelity, and unbe- 
lief, and luke-warmness, and inconsistency. Indeed, the 
names of these stones are legion. 

2. The steward tried to get rid of the claims upon 
him by compounding with his ?naster's debtors — that 
is, not by satisfying his master in the way he was ex- 
pected, but by trying to avoid the disastrous conse- 
quences of his unfaithfulness. He was ashamed to beg, 
and he was either too proud, or not strong enough to 
dig for a living and to liquidate his debts. 

So men have laid themselves liable to God's wrath, 
by wasting the gifts which God bestowed upon them. 
They are under his ban and curse. But they are too 
proud to beg for mercy, and they are too weak to dig — 
work out their own deliverance. Yet they realize the 
consequences of their conduct, and with the steward 
exclaim : " What shall I do ? " Like this steward, they 
know there are no resources at their command. All 
that men owe, they owe not to men, but to God. And 
while they can, they abuse the power in hand, to sub- 
stitute something else instead of the forfeited favor of 
Heaven, and they do this by still further defrauding 
God of his just dues. 

This is done in various ways. 

(1.) They try to get the riches of this world. In do- 
ing this, they are careful not to set themselves directly 
against religion. Indeed, realizing it to be a help to 



98 The Twin Parables. 

the accomplishment of their end, they may profess, or 
at least befriend it. They may trj^ to do good with 
their money. Instead of confessing their sins and 
pleading for mercy in Jesus' name, and trusting in him 
alone for happiness, and thus coming to a settlement 
with God in his own way, they try to avoid the settle- 
ment. They prostitute their faculties, and waste 
their opportunities, in the vain effort to secure hap- 
piness from money, or from what money may ob- 
tain. They do not seek wealth to consecrate it to God ; 
but they seek it to flatter their own lusts, and pamper 
their appetites, and gratify their passions, only giving 
to God what will appease an uneasy conscience, or get 
for them the praise of men. 

(2.) Others do not seek for happiness in the ac- 
cumulation of riches, but in the wild whirls of pleasure. 
Knowing, too, that there can be no true enjoyment 
when utterly ignoring religion, they keep up the 
semblance of piety, avoid violent excesses, and for- 
swear all forms of immorality. Yet they go just as far 
as propriety and good sense and public opinion will 
allow in the indulgence of their carnal desires and 
sensual appetites. 

Thus they seek for happiness instead of looking for 
it from the grace of God, which is in Christ Jesus. 
They give God only enough of their service to keep 
up appearances, and to prevent the full forfeiture of 
his favor, and to escape the untempered curse of heaven- 

(3.) Again, there are others who are content to live 
in poverty, who are willing to exercise the utmost self- 
denial, and undergo the greatest hardships, but they 
aim at nothing more than the high esteem and honor of 



Getting Kid of Besponsibility. 99 

their fellowmen. They do not seek influence to use it 
for God, but they seek it for their own exaltation. In 
order to secure it, they may work for God ; and in order 
to keep it, use it for God, but abstractly, they seek it 
for themselves. 

All such conduct is shaving God's accounts for our 
own profit. It is shirking God's plan of adjustment for a 
substitute. It is trying to get rid of our responsibility 
to God, by endeavoring to forestall the consequences of 
unfaithfulness and disobedience. It is the act of 
compounding in God's name with his debtors. All 
gold and silver are God's, but under pretense of acting 
in God's stead, and as God's stewards, we cut off a part 
for ourselves. All our joys and pleasures are to be for 
God's glory, but we take off a part for ourselves. All 
influence is given us to use for God, but we separate 
a large per cent for ourselves. 

Application. 

1. Those who oppose religion will be destroyed like 
these husbandmen. God will send out his armies 
against them. They will destroy the feelings. They 
will destroy the conscience. They will destroy the 
body, mind, and soul. 

2. The man who shaves God's accounts, and hopes 
to compound with his debtors, may get the praise of 
men, as did this steward, but he cannot in this way 
clear himself from the charge of having wasted God's 
gifts. He cannot hope to make a satisfactory settle- 
ment with God by so doing. 

3. The only way to meet our responsibility to God, 
is to plead our unworthiness and beg for mercy, and 



100 The Twin Parables. 

by our worship and service acknowledge God's claims 
upon us, doing this earnestly and diligently. 

No man should be ashamed to beg God for mercy 
and pardon. No man is so weak and feeble, but he 
may dig deep and lay his foundation upon the rock. 
No man should refuse to give to God's servants those 
pledges of obedience and love which God demands. 
No man should refuse to reverence the Son of God, 
who comes to us in the gospel. Doing this, we will 
not be turned out of the vineyard. Doing this, God 
will not take away our stewardship. But he will still 
make us the custodians of his valuables on earth, and 
he will still put into our hands the power to do much 
towards the building up of his kingdom. 



SEBMON X. 
DISCIPLESHIP AND DUTIES. 

' ' The Patches. " (Luke v. 36. ) 
' ' The Bottles. " (Luke v. 37, 38. ) 

1. rriHE Jews had asked Jesus why his disciples 
J_ did not fast. He replied by asking them if 
the servants of the bridegroom could mourc while the 
bridegroom was with them. 

(1.) Then, to further answer the question, he gave 
them these two parables, by which he designed to 
illustrate the relation between discipleship and its 
duties. 

(2.) He wished to teach them that the new dispen- 
sation could not be adapted to the old. Thus he an- 
ticipated, with the view of preventing, the troubles 
which should arise in the church from this source. 

Paul and Peter had a bitter altercation on this sub- 
ject, Paul reproving Peter for encouraging Christians 
in employing the old temple-rites in their worship of 
God. Paul also wrote the Epistle to the Galatians 
for the purpose of teaching the churches in that 
country, that the ceremonies of the Old Testament 
dispensation should not be used in worship under the 
New Testament dispensation. 

This has been the point in controversy between the 
Protestants and Eoman Catholics. The former hold 
that the worship of God ought to be in all simplicity, 



102 The Twin Parables. 

and not mixed up with so many forms and ceremonies. 
For this reason, we oppose the observance of so many 
holy days and church festivals. For the same reason, 
opposition is made to the teaching, that a certain form 
of worship is necessary. Anything is worship that is 
in the Spirit, and sincere. 

(2.) But there was a secondary and more practical 
object in view with Jesus : to show that we must not ex- 
pect from young disciples the same work as from those 
of more experience ; but that we must adapt our re- 
quirements to the state of discipleship. 

Hence, we are instructed that an elder must not be 
"a novice," or a man who has not been fully and 
properly indoctrinated, and who has not the necessary 
experience. Hence, also, we are told that some disci- 
ples cannot endure strong meat, and that we who are 
strong ought to bear with those who are weak. 

2. The subject, therefore, presented by the text is 
this: The Kelatton Between Discipleship and its 
Duties. 

I. Discipleship is preparatory to duties. 
The bottles spoken of were made of goat skins, and 
designed to contain liquids. It was the only way of 
preserving wines in those days. So discipleship is the 
only way of getting ready to perform religious duties. 
By discipleship we mean this: the acceptance of 
Christ by faith, and the profession of him before men. 
Without this, there can be no church work or religious 
worship, that will be received by God as proper. 

1. No man's worship of God will be accepted unless 
he has offered it in the name of Jesus Christ. 

(1.) Whenever a Jew came to worship God in the 



DlSCIPLESHIP AND DUTIES. 103 

olden times, it was necessary for him to bring his sacri- 
fices, and be introduced by the presentation of blood. 
This was why Abel's offering was accepted, and Cain's 
rejected. Abel's was in blood ; Gain's was without the 
blood. 

Whenever the Jew came to the temple, he had to 
bring his living sacrifice; and the blood was to be 
sprinkled by the priest. Even the high priest dared 
not go into the most holy place without the sprinkling 
of blood. 

(2.) We are told that "without faith it is impossible 
to please God;" that "there is none other name under 
heaven, given among men, whereby we can be saved, 
but the name of Jesus;" and there are numberless 
passages teaching that, unless we come to God in the 
name of Christ, he will not receive us. 

The first step to be taken, in rendering worship to 
God, is to accept Christ as our Saviour. 

(3.) How would it appear to men, for a man to lead 
in public prayer who is not a church-member ? What 
would we think of such a person coming to the Lord's 
table ? What would be the universal verdict for such 
a man to go forth as a preachor of the gospel ? 

Now, if these leading acts of religious worship are 
by men regarded as improperly rendered by a man who 
is not a disciple, how must they appear to God? And 
will not God so regard every act of worship, however 
unimportant? So we understand that the receiving of 
Christ by faith is necessary to prepare us for render- 
ing suitable worship to God. 

2. If it be so with worship, it must be so with all 
Christian work; for work is worship. 



104 The Twin Parables. 

(1.) Let us examine this principle in connection with 
the duties required of the Jews before the coming of 
Christ. 

We have all read that "the sacrifices of the wicked 
are an abomination to God." By sacrifices we are to 
understand not only the mediums of worship, but the 
labors and acts of self-denial performed. These were 
abominations to God; that is, he not only rejected 
them, but was displeased and angered by them. 

Korah and his companions were slain because they 
offered strange fire unto the Lord. The offering was 
not in the regular way of bloody sacrifices. Uzzah did 
a good thing when he put forth his hand to steady the 
tottering ark, but God slew him for it. 

(2.) The precepts Of the New Testament are equally 
plain upon this point. Paul, in the thirteenth chapter 
of first Corinthians, says : " Without charity (that love 
for God, springing from a new heart), though I give all 
my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body 
to be burned, etc., I am nothing — as sounding brass 
and a tinkling cymbal," — it is all mockery. 

Again we are taught that it makes no sort of differ- 
ence what we may do, if we have no faith in Christ, 
God is not pleased with our good deeds. 

If we want to do good works, let us first get the bot- 
tle to put them in by accepting of Christ. Then, what- 
ever we may do in his name, God will receive it with fa- 
vor. But if we reject Jesus, our very best endeavors 
for the good of religion are an insult to high heavens. 

Then, the foundation of true worship and true work 
for God is Christ Jesus. " He is Alpha and Omega, 
the beginning and the ending." 



DISCIPLESHIP AND DUTIES. 105 

II. But with equal emphasis is stress laid upon the 
fact that duties are necessary to DlSCIPLESHIP. 

The garment is worn out, causing it to be uncomely 
and ragged ; it is, by reason of the rents, rendered 
useless for wear ; and it is, for the same reason, incom- 
plete. It requires the patches to restore it to its state 
of being a real garment. 

So it is with discipleship, the mere profession of faith 
in Christ. Christian duties are as necessary to prove 
that there is any true discipleship, as patches are 
necessary to the worn or rent garment. 

1. A gentleman buys a new pair of boots. They 
are of good leather and well put together, and a per- 
fect fit. But soon after buying them a hole is cut in 
the uppers. The rent spoils the looks of the boots. A 
patch is neatly executed to restore the rent and make 
the garment presentable. 

So it is with discipleship. When a man professes 
Christ, he has taken a proper step. But contact with 
the world, and Satan, and the flesh, will soon make a 
rent in that profession; and it takes religious work 
and worship to patch it up. 

(1.) What would the world say of a man's profes- 
sion of religion, if he never afterwards entered the 
house of God ? Suppose he never comes to preaching, 
or prayer meeting, or any other kind of public wor- 
ship, would we not say at once that his joining the 
church was not worth anything — was not worthy of our 
respect ? 

Suppose we know that he never prays in his family 
or in his closet ; never reads the Bible ; never thanks 
God for his goodness ; would that man's profession of 
7 



106 The Twin Parables. 

religion be worthy of the name? Would we not say 
he is deceiving himself and us ? 

(2.) Suppose such a man never does anything ex- 
pected of Christians; continues his old sinful habits; 
neglects the practice of life's kindly graces ; refuses to 
support and sustain the cause of the church ; we would 
say at once that his pretensions to piety are not re- 
spectable — are reproachful. 

2. The boot, with the rent in it, is not only not re- 
spectable, not presentable, but it is comparatively use- 
less to the owner. It will not keep out the moisture, 
or the cold, or the dust. The patch is necessary to 
restore it to utility. 

So a profession of Christ, unattended by religious 
worship and good works, is not only pronounced dis- 
reputable, but it is useless to him who made it, and to 
all others. 

(2.) What is such a man's membership iu the church 
worth ? He does more harm than good. The cause 
of religion suffers on his account. It loses its good 
name. He cumbers the ground. His name swells the 
roll, and others have to bear his burdens in addition 
to their own. 

His relatives may take comfort to themselves because 
he is a church member; but what comfort can there 
be in such inconsistency? It only makes them feel 
secure for him, when there is no evidence whatever 
that his heart is right. It will cause them to tremble 
lest he thus harden his neck against reproof and the 
truth, and inherit the hypocrite's hope. 

(3.) What benefit can any man expect to get to him- 
self from such a course ? He may flatter himself that 



DISCIPLESHIP AND DUTIES. 107 

he will stand better among men, in these days when 
religion seems to be popular. But he is deceived. 
The world itself, and much more the church, will lose 
every confidence in a man, who can act in such a man- 
ner. It bears the face of trying to deceive society. It 
places him on the list of those who do things by halves. 

And surely such a man cannot imagine that the mere 
profession of Christ, without the Christian's life, can 
bring any peace to his guilty soul. Conscience cannot 
be deceived. The terrors of the law will not be in 
the least abated. He is more criminal in the sight of 
God than if he had never made any pretensions. Such 
conduct exceedingly angers the mind of our Lord. 

Thus discipleship is utterly useless without the ac- 
companying duties of work and worship. The gar- 
ment is rent and moth-eaten. 

3. But what is discipleship when we come to con- 
sider it in its real nature ? Is accepting of Christ by 
faith, and professing him before men discipleship, — all 
of discipleship ? No more than a garment all cut up 
and moth-eaten, and worn out into holes, is a complete 
garment. As it takes patches to render such a garment 
perfect, so it takes religious duties to make the pro- 
fession of Christ true discipleship. 

(1.) It is the foundation of the spiritual house, but 
the duties are necessary to the superstructure. 

(2.) It is the flower-bud of Christian character, but 
it takes work and worship to open it out into the full- 
blown rose. 

(3.) It is the plant-seed of vital godliness, but there 
must be "the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in 
the ear," of Christian duties. 



108 The Twin Parables. 

Application. 

Christ does not propose to present on earth, either 
in the church, or in the individual Christian, a perfect 
character. But it will always be, in this world, a gar- 
ment that needs patching. It will always show the 
patches of repentance, and worship, and divers good 
works. It may often go for a long time unpatched, 
rent, moth-eaten, worn into holes ; but then we cannot 
help seeing the patches, somewhere and at sometime. 

And by and by Christ will take off the patches, and 
present us and his church in Heaven, "without spot," 
or flaw, — perfected in holiness; and we will "wash our 
robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb." 



SEEM ON XI. 
JPRA YEB. 

"The Importunate Friend." (Luk xi. 5-8.) 
' ' The Importunate "Widow. " (Luke xviii. 1-5. ) 

1. T~N the second parable, the widow came to the 
JL judge, asking him to avenge her of an adver- 
sary. He did not care anything about his obligations 
to God or to man. He cared nothing for justice, or for 
the interests of his fellow-men. Yet he did as he was 
requested, because the woman continued to press her 
case, and because he would get rid of the trouble of 
listening to her. 

2. This parable has its counterpart in that of the 
Importunate Friend. A man came to his neighbor at 
midnight, asking for three loaves of bread with which 
to feed a hungry guest. The man applied to had gone 
to bed, he and all his family, and urged that he could 
not grant the request. But the applicant continued 
his plea ; and, although the neighbor cared nothing for 
the claims of friendship, yet he got up, and gave what 
was needed, simply because the application was so 
urgently made. 

3. Here are three groups of thought : 

I. Men ought to pray. II. They ought to pray al- 
ways. III. They ought not to faint in prayer. 

I. Men ought to pray : 

1. Because they are needy and dependent. This man 



110 The Twin Parables. 

who asked for the three loaves was in this condition. 
So was the widow. So are we. Men may think of 
themselves otherwise, but none of us has anything, 
except as God gives it to us. We are dependent 
upon him for life, for health, and for the condition 
of mind necessary to enable us to get the good things 
of earth. Yea, all our circumstances are made for us 
by God in his great goodness. "In him we live, move, 
and have our being." To believe otherwise is to deny 
divine providence. We may have something, but we 
are dependent upon God for its continuance. And 
what we have not, we are to get from him in answer to 
prayer. The ordinary things of life we are to look to 
God for. The things of grace are to be obtained in 
the same manner. 

2. We ought io pray, — not demand or expect bless- 
ings from God. This man had not any right to make 
demands of his friend. This widow had no right to 
demand justice, or sit down idly and wait for the judge 
to act. They both prayed. It was what was expected. 

So men are expected to ask God for what they want. 
All things are given in answer to prayer. 

God is a Judge, the great Euler over all things. But 
he never has given us any reason to believe that we 
have any claims of justice against him. All such claims 
have been forfeited by our sins. We have no right to 
demand a single blessing or favor from him. We can- 
not expect his interference in our behalf, if we idly sit 
down and wait. 

God is our friend ; but we have no claims upon him 
as such. If he is a friend it is beeause he is gracious 
and merciful. He may give us good, but if he does it 



Prayer. Ill 

is all of grace. Yet if we ask, we are encouraged to 
expect an answer, because he is a friend. Men ought 
to pray, then, because it is the only way to secure 
God's interference in our behalf. 

3. Men ought to pray, because God uill give what 
we ash, and much more. The judge gave this widow 
what she requested. The man gave his friend all he 
asked. So God encourages us to pray to him. He 
makes abundant promises to those who seek. And 
he has always performed his word. 

Our condition, our relation to God, and God's pur- 
pose and plan, all join to teach us the duty of prayer. 

II. "Men ought to peay always." There si no time 
or circumstance when we are debarred from coming to 
God, or when it does not become us to approach him 
in supplication. 

1. We are to ask God for whatever we wish. True, 
we are to make our wills God's will. But if we will 
bear in mind that he is our judge, the only one that 
can give us justice, if we will remember that God is 
our friend, and will never do ought, save what is best 
for us ; then we will feel like coming to him with all 
our interests. 

If we need food, if we need help in any matter, if 
we need comfort in a trouble, to whom can we more 
safely go than to God? Hence, says one, "In every- 
thing, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, 
let your requests be made known unto God." 

It may be a great favor which we ask, but that is no 
bar. It may be a very small thing for which we pray, 
but that is no bar. We may be very unworthy of 



112 The Twin Parables. 

God's blessings, but that is no bar. We may be very 
selfish in what we seek, but that is no bar. We may 
be very insignificant in our own eyes and in the 
opinion of others, but that is no bar. We are to 
" pray always." 

2. We can never be out of season. This friend 
came at midnight, yet he was answered. We may 
think we are out of season, but there is no out of 
season for prayer to God. " His ears are ever open 
to our cries." It may be the midnight of life with us ; 
we may have passed the accepted time of youth, but 
that is no bar. We may have gone far into sin's 
midnight ways, but that is no bar. We may have 
sinned against much light and mercy, but that is no 
bar. We may be in the midnight of busy cares ; we 
may be on the highway, but it is not out of season. 
We may be in the thronged market of trade, but that 
is not out of season. We may have been too self-pos- 
sessed to look to God in the daylight of prosperity, 
and the dark hours of adversity may be upon us, and 
we may feel ashamed to call on God, but it is not out 
of season. We may have been too happy and proud 
to call on God in the bright sunlight of success and 
enjoyment, and now it may be that we are in the midst 
of the storms of ills and sorrows, and we may feel that 
it is unbecoming in us to pray, but it is not out of 
season. We may be in the midnight of temptation; 
we may be on the threshold of a besetting sin, and we 
may think we have gone too far to pray, but it is not 
out of season. We may hold the cup of carnal 
pleasure to our very lips and think it too late to pray, 
but it is not out of season. 



Prayer. , 113 

It is never too late to pray. We cannot go too far 
astray to pray. We cannot get sunk too deep in the 
mire of sin to pray. We may pray always ; we should 
pray always. 

3. We are to pray always. There is no time to fret — 
pray ; no time to despond — pray ; no occasion to be 
rash — pray ; no occasion to give up — pray ; no occasion 
for turning back — pray ; no use in taking revenge — 
pray ; no use of impatience — pray ; under all circum- 
stances — pray. 

That is to put your case in God's hand, to submit 
yourself to his will. Before hand, or in hand, or after 
hand — pray. It does not stop work, but gives it an 
impulse. It does not belie faith, but is its evidence. 
It does not dim hope, but gives it a brighter glow. It 
does not require peace, but suits in war. It does not 
require holiness, but brings it to us. It does not re- 
quire innocence, but consists with guilt. It does not 
forbid enjoyment, but sweetens it. It does not mar 
pleasure, but enhances it. It does not hinder business, 
but gives it success. It does not waste time, but saves 
it. It suits the closet. It suits the social circle. It 
suits the place of -daily avocation. 

III. But men ought to pray, and not faint. Jesus 
implies that we will have much cause to faint and grow 
weary. But we must not. And we will not, if we un- 
derstand, like this widow, that prayer is our only re- 
course; we cannot avenge ourselves. We will not 
faint, if, like this friend, we realize that prayer is our 
only hope ; we cannot help ourselves. It is midnight 
with us. The cause can only be plead by God our Judge. 



114 The Twin Parables. 

1. Rebuffs ought not to make us faint in prayer. 
This friend was rebuffed. He was told : " Trouble me 
not." The widow was rebuffed. She was told: "I 
fear not God, nor regard man." But neither of them 
stopped asking. So neither should we cease from 
prayer because we are rebuffed. Men will say : " what 
kind of a God do you suppose the Lord is, to hear the 
prayer of such a sinner as you are?" Satan will say: 
" God will not notice such an insignificant thing as } r ou 
are" Unbelief in the heart will say: "It is too late, 
or it is too small a matter to pray to God for." There 
will be a thousand, yea, ten thousand such repulses to 
keep you from prayer. But the word of God should 
prevail. It says : Whosoever shall call upon the name 
of the Lord, shall be saved." Conscience will try to 
put you to shame. The world will try to make sport 
of you. Your own heart will try to discourage you. 
Your very family may make light of your prayers. 
And the devil will oppose you with all his might, 

' ' For Satan trembles when he sees 
The weakest saint npon his knees." 

But recall what Paul wrote to the Ephesians. "Take 
unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able 
to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to 
stand. Stand, therefore, having your lions girt about 
with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteous- 
ness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the 
gospel of peace ; above all, taking the shield of faith, 
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts 
of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, 
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God ; 



Prayer. 115 

praying always, with all prayer and supplication, and 
watching thereunto with all perseverance." 

2. Delays ought not to make us faint in prayer. God 
may put off answering us, — may put off for a long time. 
But he will hear his elect when they cry unto him ; yea, 
he will hear at length, though he bear long. Our time 
may not be his time, and his time is always best. Our 
way may not be his way, and his way is best. We may 
ask for what we think is an egg, but because he knows 
it to be a serpent, he may deny the serpent to us, and 
give us the egg. We may ask for what appears to us 
bread, but God knows it is a stone ; and he will deny 
the stone, but grant the bread. All this may seem to 
us like no answer. But it is the true answer. 

Because, therefore, we are short-sighted, we should 
not be discouraged at apparent delays on God's part 
to answer prayer. 

3. Men ought not to faint in prayer, because God's 
design is to perfect our graces and try our faith, by 
causing us to wait. How long he made Israel wait! 
Over four hundred years. How many earnest prayers, 
think you, were made during that time for deliverance ? 
How long he made the church wait for the Messiah! 
Nearly four thousand years! And yet how many moth- 
ers and fathers lived and died praying to see the day, 
and saw it only by faith ; and died, not having received 
the promise ! Yet the answer came at last. So may it 
be with us ! So will it be with us. Let us know, that 
it is God's plan to make us ready, thoroughly ready, 
before he gives an answer to our prayers. And it is 
the praying — the persevering prayer — that fits us for 
prayer's answer. The main benefit of prayer is its re- 



116 The Twin Parables. 

flex influence. It is a schooling. It is discipline. It 
is a method of preparation. No one, therefore, who 
seeks the highest good of the soul and the glory of God 
should be discouraged from prayer simply because the 
answer is delayed. 

Application. 

1. The great trouble with most Christians is that 
they do not pray enough. 

Suppose our business does not move along as we 
could wish. It is in a tangle. It threatens financial 
embarrassment. Our living is in peril. We are apt 
to fret. We are inclined to become discouraged, and 
to resort to improper methods for a remedy. All this 
is wrong. We should take it to God. His will may 
be to give prosperity, or it may be to strengthen and 
comfort us while he allows us to be still further trou- 
bled. But, however that may be, we cannot fail to be 
benefited by leaving it all in his hands. 

Suppose we are overtaken by sickness and bereave- 
ment. God will, in answer to prayer, cause them to 
work out our good in this world and in that to come. 

Suppose a difficulty arise between us and a neighbor. 
It is not prudent to become angry, or to cherish re- 
venge, or even to allow estrangement between us and 
him. The wise plan is to take the trouble to God, and 
submit our cases to him. This cannot fail to secure 
peace. 

Suppose there is a loved one out of Christ. Let us 
carry him to God in prayer. He will give his soul 
to us. 

Suppose we ourselves are not Christians. We should 



Peayee. 117 

go to God in earnest and persevering prayer. He will 
give us the Holy Spirit and heaven. 

Prayer brightens our lives, clears up our cloudy days, 
makes our burdens light and bearable, gives us com- 
fort in sorrow. 

2. As a church, we should hold meetings for prayer. 
Sunday schools are well enough, where we can teach 
and study God's word ; preaching is indispensable, in 
order that we may have the gospel of the Son of God ; 
but meetings for prayer are of prime importance. 
Such gatherings will unite us the better in Christian 
love and sympathy. They will make us love the church 
more. They will strengthen us for life's trials. 

And we should pray in our families. It will help us 
in domestic cares. It will help us to do our duty as 
parents and children. It will ensure the salvation of 
our households. It will secure the favor and blessing 
of heaven upon our homes. 

Nor can we afford to neglect closet prayer. We may 
not find it easy and convenient to seek seclusion from 
day to day ; but it will pay us. 

There are men who will not take time to sharpen the 
tools with which they work. But it is not the way of 
wisdom. So is it with reference to prayer. It is in 
this way that we are to prepare ourselves for life's 
work. 

Hence the fitness of the truth : " Men ought always 
to pray, and not to faint." 



SEEMON XII. 
FORGIVENESS. 

"The Wicked Seevant." (Matt, xviii. 23-35.) 
' ' The Two Debtors. " (Luke vii. 41, 42. ) 

1. T I "1HESE two parables are alike, in that they were 
JL both spoken to illustrate the doctrine of for- 
giveness, and both use the same illustration of a 
debtor. 

2. Yet they are complements of each other. It 
takes them both, to present the doctrine in its fullness. 
In the one forgiveness is represented as unconditional, 
while in the other, it is conditional. In the one, all 
men are represented as needing and receiving the 
same degree of forgiveness, while in the other, there 
are degrees of forgiveness. In the one case forgive- 
ness is final, while in the other it is partial. 

3. Let us notice the following points : 

I. The necessity that calls for forgiveness. 

II. The conditions of forgiveness. 

III. The character of forgiveness. 

I. There is a necessity for forgiveness ; a necessity 
that calls for our compassion toward our fellowmen, 
and for God's pity toward us. What is that necessity ? 

1. It arises from the fact that we are in debt. Every 
man is in debt to God, and all men are respectively in 
debt to each other. This servant was in debt to his 



Forgiveness. ' 119 

master, and that was what led to the master's pity. 
The fellow-servant was in debt to the first servant, and 
this should have elicited the compassion of the latter. 
Both the men referred to in the seventh chapter of 
Luke were in debt to the creditor, and that was what 
called for their forgiveness. 

(1.) We are all in debt to God; we owe certain obli- 
gations to him, such as reverence, worship, obedience 
and trust. 

Not only so, but all have failed to discharge these 
duties, and are behindhand with God. The truth is, 
we come into being as debtors to God. " For by the 
disobedience of one were many made sinners," and 
"the very imaginations of the thoughts of the heart 
are evil continually, and that from his youth." 

(2.) Being in debt to God makes us to be in debt 
to otir fellovj-beings, the creatures of his hand and the 
subjects of his government. 

For he requires us to regard the interests of our 
fellow-creatures, — their life, virtue, property and char- 
acter. We all become dependents, each on the other; 
the rich upon the poor, and vice versa; the wise to the 
ignorant, and the ignorant to the wise. To ignore our 
mutual obligation is to cast off God's authority, and 
undermine the very foundations of man's welfare and 
even existence. 

(3.) But we are not all equally in debt to God. One 
requires a greater measure of forgiveness than an- 
other. One servant owed ten thousand talents, and 
another only one hundred pence. One debtor was 
behind five hundred pence and the other only fifty. 
So some men owe more than others to God. For God 



120 The Twin Paeables. 

lias done more for them. Some men owe more to 
God in the duty of worshipping him with their sub- 
stance, because God has made them rich. Some men 
owe God more in the work of saving souls, because 
God has made them influential, and given them a 
special commission. 

We owe more to some men than to others ; more to 
our fellow-immortals than to the dumb brutes; more 
to fellow-citizens than to foreigners ; more to neighbors 
than to strangers; more to friends than to acquaint- 
ances ; more to relatives than to friends ; more to loved 
ones near than to kindred more remote. But we are 
all debtors, and need forgiveness, unless we can pay up. 

2. Like the characters in these parables, however, 
we have nothing to pay. 

(1.) It is not within our power to do our duty, either 
to God or to our fellows. We come into the world 
under the ban of guilt. Men are sinners from birth, 
and are wholly inclined to evil only. It is not natural 
for any person to want to do right. We come to the 
performance of every duty, therefore, at a disadvan- 
tage; disinclined, with insufficient strength, and with 
heart and mind all the while ready to taint the endea- 
vor with sinful thoughts and feelings. For a man mor- 
ally in debt to enter upon the performance of a duty is 
like a man with hands and garments all defiled with 
smut taking hold of purely-white linen to move it. 
There is not a duty we try but is polluted in God's 
sight by our uncleanness. This was represented, under 
the Jewish ceremonial, by the regulations for the un- 
clean. For instance, if a man had touched a dead 
body, he could not join in the temple service. As far 



Forgiveness. 121 

as appearance is concerned, and as far as men can see, 
the duty might be perfectly performed. But in God's 
sight it is, like "the sacrifice of the wicked," — "an 
abomination." 

(2.) There is another idea: When a sin has been 
committed, or a duty omitted, we cannot make amends 
to God for it. The reason is obvious. Each moment 
of our life has present duties, the performance of which 
demands all our mind, soul, heart and strength. The 
thief may restore the article stolen, and even ten times 
its value, but he has not changed the character of his 
act in stealing. The act is just as unchangeable as if 
he had taken a fellow-man's life. Hence it is written : 
" Can any man make a clean thing out of an unclean ? 
Not one." 

Thus it is seen that the natural man cannot pay his 
debts, either to God or to his fellow-man. 

If, then, we are in debt and unable to pay, we stand 
in need of forgiveness. There is no other way for our 
difficulties to be adjusted. Our needy and helpless 
condition calls for God's pity. 

II. But let us notice the condition of forgiveness. In 
the parable of the Two Debtors, we get the idea that 
God pardons unconditionally, But not so, from the 
parable of the Wicked Servant. That servant was par- 
doned on three implied conditions : 1st, he asked for 
it ; 2nd, he promised payment ; 3rd, he was to take the 
proper course in making the payment. 

1. So God forgives us, first, on the condition that we 
ask him to do so. 

(1.) This implies a confession of sin, and the promise 
8 



122 The Twin Parables. 

is : " if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to 
forgive us our sins." It implies sorrow for sin, and 
forgiveness is pledged to repentance. 

(2.) Asking for forgiveness implies confidence or 
faith in God ; and pardon is offered to the man who 
believes. No man who knows God's plan of redemp- 
tion, will presume to come to God asking pardon, ex- 
cept he come believing "that God is, and is a re warder 
of them that seek him." 

2. God forgives on condition that we pay our debts. 
This implies that we have correct views of the right- 
eousness of the law, and the justice of the penalty : 
that we do not expect to rob justice of her dues ; that 
we are not looking alone at the hope of escaping pun- 
ishment ; that it is in our hearts to be loyal and faith- 
ful subjects of a good government. 

3. God forgives also on the implied condition that 
we take the proper course in our efforts to pay the 
debts we owe. If we expect to accomplish this by our 
own efforts, there will be no forgiveness. If we expeet 
to gather up all available merit, in a moral life, or in 
good resolutions, or in a consecrated manhood or wo- 
manhood ; we may be ever so exacting upon ourselves, 
but it will be of no avail. We are not to pay our debts 
in any other way, than by working for the King. If 
we go out from his sight or dominion, we will fail. The 
only plan is to stay with him ; that is, through faith in 
Jesus, to give ourselves and all we are to God. 

This servant was not absolutely forgiven, when he 
was loosed ; but he would have been, had he paid the 
debt, or if he had remained with and labored for his 
master, instead of trying to collect the paltry amounts 
due to himself. 



Forgiveness. 123 

III. Let us notice in the last place, the character of 
this forgiveness. God's forgiveness is represented in the 
text as "pity;" our forgiveness of our fellow-men, as 
" compassion." And God's forgiveness is represented 
in the parable as the holding up on a debt ; and in the 
parable in Luke, as the exercise of grace, or showing 
favor for the sake of another ; from which we get these 
ideas : 

1. God's forgiveness is manifested in two ways, or 
in two degrees. For the Greek word translated " for- 
gave " in Luke, is not the same as that so translated in 
Matthew. In Luke, it means the exercise of grace or 
favor, or being appeased for the sake of another ; carry- 
ing with it the idea of true evangelical forgiveness, 
which is thorough and final. But in Matthew, it means 
only to bear with for a while, as when a creditor holds 
up on a debtor, and does not close out the claim. There is 
no intimation of a thorough remittance of the obligation. 

(1.) So God forgives in the sense of having patience 
with us, or pitying us, or holding up on our debts. 
Thus he does with all men, and yet there is a thorough 
forgiveness, or grace, promised on the condition that 
we satisfy the law by faith in Christ. 

(2.) This latter forgiveness, when once granted, is 
final. God may bear with a sinner, and at length de- 
liver him to the tormentor, because he does not com- 
ply with the prescribed conditions. But when we 
comply with these conditions God grants a thorough 
and final forgiveness, which he never cancels, and 
which is a guaranty of eternal salvation. 

2. The forgiveness by us of our fellow-man is to be 
of the nature of compassion. 



124 The Twin Parables. 

(1.) If they fall short in any of their conduct to- 
wards us, we are to be patient with them, just as God 
is patient with us. We are to wait kindly and com- 
passionately before we judge them, or become estranged 
from them. And this we are to do, as God does, 
whether they ask us or not. We are to consider their 
trials and burdens, and sympathize with them. We 
are to take the most favorable view of their conduct ; 
make every allowance for them ; indulge in no enmity 
or spite, or revenge, but do towards them as God does 
towards us. 

(2.) Then if they confess their faults, and ask for- 
giveness, we are, like God, to extend a thorough and 
final forgivenesss ; not only forgive, but forget. For 
when God finally forgives, all our sins are blotted out, 
and so far as his records are concerned, forgotten or 
wholly cancelled. And this we are to do infinitely, 
which is what Jesus means when he says " seventy 
times seven." 

Application. 

1. God forgives, bears with ten thousand faults in 
us — yes, more than ten thousand. And shall not we 
bear with just a few faults in our fellow-men? God 
has pity on us for our weakness and helplessness ; and 
shall not we have compassion on fellow-men in their 
infirmities ? 

We commit gross sins against God, and he only 
says, "Poor sinful man! We must bear with him." 
The Saviour says, "Father, forgive them, they know 
not what they do." "The spirit indeed is willing, but 
the flesh is weak." And so we get "the early and 



Forgiveness. 125 

latter rain." We get the life-giving sunlight. We get 
the comforts of home." And what shall we say more? 
For God's blessings upon us undeserving sinners are 
numberless. 

Yet, if a dumb brute offend us, we jerk, and whip, 
and abuse. " Shouldest not thou also have had com- 
passion on thy fellow-servant?" 

You insult God with your oaths, or your impurity, 
or some other wickedness. And God only says : " Let 
him alone. Let me continue my mercies. Let me 
shower upon him favors. And if he bear fruit, well." 
So he does. And O, how rich is his grace, and mercy, 
and loving kindness ! But let a neighbor insult us, and 
what do we do? Abuse him for all we can think about, 
swear vengeance, harbor malice, and what else? 

2. If we are thus uncharitable, and impatient, and 
intolerant, and exacting in our dealings with our fellow- 
man, it may justly make us fear lest God has not thor- 
oughly forgiven us, but only held up his wrath, and 
shown us pity. For if we are forgiven, we will love ; 
love not only God, but our fellow-men, for whom Christ 
died. And if we are not thus patient, and compassion- 
ate, and charitable, God will deliver us, at length, over 
to the tormentors — eternal fire, and death, and woe. 

3. God forgives the very greatest sinners as freely as 
he does the smallest, if we come to him in the right 
way. He will forgive five hundred sins as readily as 
fifty. He will forgive ten thousand talents of sin as 
frankly as one hundred pence, if we approach him in the 
proper way. But he expressly declares that he will not 
forgive thoroughly any one that loves not, forgives not, 
has not compassion on his brother. He it is that says, 



126 The Twin Parables. 

through one of his apostles : "Be ye tender-hearted, 
compassionate, forgiving one another, if any man have 
a quarrel against any, even as God, for Christ's sake, 
forgives you." He it is that says, " Bear ye one another's 
burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." "Love your 
enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them 
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully 
use you, that ye may be the children of your Father 
which is in heaven. For he maketh his sun to rise on 
the evil and on the good." "Recompense to no man 
evil for evil." "Avenge not yourselves." "If thine 
enemy hunger, feed him ; if he thirst, give him drink." 
" Render not railing for railing, but contrariwise, bless- 
ing." "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and 
clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you." 
" Be patient toward all men." " Blessed are the peace- 
makers, for they shall be called the children of God." 



PART FOURTH. 



RELIGION IN THE WOKLD. 
THE CHURCH. 



SERMON XHI. 

The Tabes," and " The Net. 



SERMON XIII. 
THE CHTTBCH. 

"The Tabes." (Matt. xiii. 24-30; 37-43.) 
"The Net." (Matt. xiii. 47-50.) 

THESE two parables unite in presenting for our 
consideration this subject: 

The Church of Cheist on Earth. 

There are two senses of the word church, viz. : the 
invisible and the visible church. The invisible church 
is the true work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts and 
minds of men. The visible church is intended to be 
the outward demonstration and regulation of this work. 

These two parables teach us: I. The object of the 
church ; II. The character of the church. 

I. In noticing the object of the church, our atten- 
tion is called, first, to 

1. The object of the invisible church represented 
by the man sowing the good seed. The man is Christ, 
and the seed are the members of the church. The 
members of the invisible church are real Christians. 

(1.) They are called here "the children of the king- 
dom." This means that they are such as have been 
born again, adopted into God's family, and declared 
to be the citizens of Mount Zion. 

(2.) They are called "the righteous." This means, 
that their sins have been pardoned, and they have been 
justified before God. Every one who is truly convert- 
ed is a member of the invisible church. 



130 The Twin Parables. 

(3.) They are in the world, — among men. No church 
lines can be drawn to take in every such one. There 
are many, no doubt, outside the visible church. The 
object, therefore, of the invisible church, as set forth 
in this parable of the Tares, is the regeneration and 
conversion of sinners unto God. 

2. But the parable of the Net represents the object 
of the visible church, the fish representing the mem- 
bers of it. 

(1.) The visible church was not established directly 
by Christ, but indirectly by his disciples, as the Net 
was managed by several persons. 

(2.) The object of the visible church was to gather 
together the good, — every one belonging to the invisi- 
ble kingdom — as the Net was cast out to get good fish. 
It has no hope of getting all the good into it, any more 
than the Net could be expected to catch all the good 
fish. There is no wish that it should be burdened with 
those who are not true Christians, as the Net would 
rather not entangle the worthless fish. 

II. What is THE CHARACTER OF THE CHURCH ? What 

kind of society constitutes it ? What is the nature of 
its government? 

1. Let us notice from the two parables the character 
of the society constituting the church. In considering 
this, we must bear in mind, that in the parable of the 
Tares "the field is the world," that is, the ecclesiastical 
lines of the invisible church are the limits of the human 
race, while in the parable of the Net the ecclesiastical 
lines of the visible church are* certain prescribed boun- 
daries. And the society in each instance is the asso- 



The Church. 131 

ciation within the indicated lines. This being the 
case, the society of the church is mixed, that is, made 
up of good and bad. 

This characteristic of church society is set forth in 
two ways : First, by the objects used for representa- 
tion, and, second, by the explanation given for the 
cause of it. 

(1.) The objects used to represent the good and 
had in the church are significant. The wheat in the 
one parable and the good fish in the other represent 
true and good Christians, while the tares, in one in- 
stance, and the bad fish in the other represent the 
wicked. The former are useful and sought after, and 
the latter are useless and avoided. 

(2.) In explaining the reason for the admixture of 
the good and evil in the church, we find a further de- 
lineation of ecclesiastical society. These ideas are de- 
rived from the parable of the Tares alone. 

The reasons why there are good and bad in the 
church are two : First, men sleep, and, second, the 
devil is awake and busy. If men did not sleep, or if 
Satan did not exist and continue active, there would 
never be any impurities in the church. " The children 
of the kingdom" would all be "the righteous." There 
would be no use for any law. The lines of the invisi- 
ble church would coincide with those of the visible 
church. The Net would not gather of every kind. 

But this is not the case. Satan is exceeding 
watchful, "going about" suggesting wicked thoughts 
and evil desires that develop into sinful words and 
vile actions. He purposely mingles evil in the same 
heart with good and innocent impulses. He does this 



132 The Twin Parables. 

in a secret way, and no harm is suspected. For "he 
goes his way," and does not show his cloven foot or 
his scaly form. The tracks are not searched for under 
the circumstances. And even after there have been 
developments in the way of words and acts, the tares of 
evil are not easily distinguished from the wheat of 
truth. So it happens, that children have vile imagin- 
ings, and eventually show forth general traits of char- 
acter as the outgrowth, until linally they exhibit all the 
signs of wickedness. 

Such would not be the case if men did not sleep. 
They cease to watch diligently. They become wrapt 
in the slumber of worldliness, or of indolence, or of 
sheer neglect. Parents, teachers and church officers 
are not ever on the watch for the coming of the devil, 
and for his tracks. If they would heed the exhorta- 
tion of the apostle, " abstain from all appearance of 
evil," the church would not be so troubled with wicked 
characters. They see these tracks of Satan, perhaps, 
but never have any fear, though they may have the 
thought of the source from which they originate. If 
they would consider the significance of the question, 
"What harm ?" they would know it to be Satan's foot- 
print. That question is never asked, where there is no 
doubt about the nature of an act. And the very fact 
that there is a doubt, ought to put us on our guard. 
Parents forget the interests of the soul, and of the 
church when they seek the indulgence of the body, or 
the cultivation of the mind is neglected for outward 
appearances. Teach children to devote their energies 
to the mental training to the exclusion of spiritual 
things, and you leave the devil to sow his tares. 



The Chuech. 133 

If we allow ourselves to be deterred from the duty 
of teaching, or warning, or instructing by such un- 
worthy motives as modesty, or timidity, or a desire to 
be popular, we give Satan a chance, and the tares are 
scattered abroad. 

The result of this activity on the part of Satan, and 
this carelessness in men, is the existence of evil in the 
church and the world. 

Hence there are wicked people everywhere on this 
earth. Hence persons get into the church visible who 
are not real Christians. There was never any change 
in their hearts, although there may have been a re- 
formation of life. They have never experienced the 
converting and sanctifying power of divine grace. 

For the same reason, there are true Christians who 
have imperfections and inconsistencies that are a grief 
to God and a hindrance to the growth of piety. 

2. What is to be the nature of church government f 
What is our duty with regard to these irregularities in 
the church? 

(1.) It will and ought to be a matter of deepest con- 
cern, as with these servants, relative to the tares in the 
wheat-field. We should often ask how evil gets a 
start, in order that we may prevent it. We should 
ever be desirous to get rid of evil — both evil influences 
and evil characters. We should be willing to devote 
ourselves to the accomplishment of this end. That is, 
the government of the church ought to lie very near 
the hearts of all God's people. We should all be zeal- 
ous in the matter. 

(2.) But we are to learn that in the invisible church 
there is to be no such thing as government, in the 
sense of discipline. As these servants could not separ- 



134 The Twin Parables. 

ate the wheat from the tares, so we cannot positively 
tell who are and who are not real Christians. We can- 
not judge any man's heart, however well we may know 
his life and conduct. 

Even if we could tell invariably who are and who 
are not God's true children, it would still be impossi- 
ble for us to get rid of the latter without doing injury 
to the former. Their hearts and minds and interests 
and lives are inseparably woven together. For instance, 
we might destroy a wicked father, and by so doing- 
destroy the influences by which a godly son is to be 
brought to manhood, and alienate his mind and heart 
from what is good and pure. 

(3.) But what are we to do with reference to evil in 
the church visible? How are we to govern the church? 
In many places in the Bible certain powers are vested 
in the church, as such, to deal with offenders. But we 
can find nothing in this parable of the Tares upon this 
subject. Its teachings pertain exclusively to the invis- 
ible church, and to the efforts made by civil rulers to 
purify the church by persecution. The only teaching 
we have from the text is found in the parable of the 
Net ; and that is derived from inference. 

It often happens that fishermen find a fish in their 
nets that would tear it to pieces, and they take steps 
to get it cornered so that it can do no harm ; or they 
cast it out, if they cannot get hands upon it without 
letting out some of the good fish. So it is the duty of 
the church, when they find an unruly member, to limit 
and restrain his power for evil, that he may be ren- 
dered harmless ; or if possible, without doing violence to 
the good of the cause, he should be excommunicated. 



The Church. 135 

The object, then, of church government, is to pre- 
serve the net — the church ; keep it pure, and united, 
and in peace, so that it will accomplish the work for 
which it has been organized — the salvation of God's 
people. 

But we need never expect to find the church pure in 
this world. The wheat cannot be changed into tares, 
neither the good fish into bad ones; but there will 
always be tares and bad fish. When, however, time 
is done, God himself will draw the line, and the good 
will be preserved, while the wicked will be thrown 
away and burned up. They will be rejected for their 
worthlessness, and burned up for their evil doings. 
They will lose heaven because they are not fit for it, 
and they will be sent to hell, because they are a trouble 
to God's kingdom. 

Application. 

1. Let us learn here, that the existence of counter- 
feits in religion shows the reality of religion. Men 
say the church is a sham, because it is impure. This 
leads us to infer that there is such a thing as a pure 
church. 

We must not say that a society is not a church be- 
cause it has unworthy members in it. If it does its 
work in the way of saving souls, we have no right to 
condemn it. 

2. Let us learn, that in the fight against evil, preven- 
tion is better than cure. We must not sleep on the 
post of duty. Let us endeavor to keep the devil away, 
so that he cannot sow evil seed. At any rate (for it is 
impossible almost to prevent Satan from his work), let 
us sow the mind so full of good seed that the bad will 
not thrive and make a full crop. 



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